The Root Of All Evil
by Joey's Bliss
Summary: We all have roots, and how we tend to them effect our growth. Sango's roots run deeper than she could ever imagine  With the battle against Naraku still waging, the demon slayer must prevent herself from being drug into the ground all while discovering secrets that will, hopefully, aid in her future.
1. PROLOGUE Supermassive Blackhole

**Author's Note : *eDiT* This chapter has been edited because I honestly thought that my first attempt wasn't good enough. You'll come to learn that I'm a bit of a perffectionist. I'm not going to do it a thrid because I think then that it'll just get worse. If you like the original piece you can skip BUT not without reading the prologue. That is a must, and if I say so myself, a good little pleasuring teaser that was needed. Again don't read this version of this chapter if you don't but I feel like this one is of the edited chapters that should be read if you decide to read at least one of them because it's the most important.**

**If you haven't noticed (which most you probably had) all of my chapters are named after songs that I found inspiration in. You can listen to the songs while you read, after, before, or not at all. This is one is **

*******Supermassive Blackhole by MUSE******

******Prologue – Morning Glory by Oasis******

******Previous first chapter – Bulletproof by La Roux*******

**Prologue**

Being the eldest in the family never bothered me. I always manged to keep a firm grasp on the responsibility that I was handed with. I believe that because of this, Mother was proud of me. She found a way to be proud of all of her children, just like every doting mother. Though, in my biased opinion, I viewed her as a goddess. Her beauty was so similar with her long hair and flawless skin. There was no mistaking it. She was strong willed and courageous – never one to run away when danger reared its ugly head. She could do no wrong in my eyes.

That is until I learned that all adults weren't perfect and I transformed into a teenager. I developed a mind of my own and began to see the things cloaked in the darkness become exposed to the light. I never would have guessed beforehand that her will was mingled with stubborness. It was on the exact day of my 13th season that her total lack of caution costed her life. I blame it on the "lucky" 13. She was no goddess for they are immortal. I proved to be wrong about something and I lost all belief it what I thought was the truth. My trust and faith in anything was shattered.

The seasons came and went. As I grew older and older, I was struck with with the painful reminder of my mother's passing. That day lost all importance. It burnt out quickly rather than naturally fading away. It blended in the remaining days and was lost. The only proper solution was to spend and cherish the day with her and alone.

Then, on those sacred days, I began to notice something off. My father, my very intelligent, honorable, and nurtuting father, began to follow me. My brother and sisters would visit me periodically throughout the day; it was peculiar as to why he chose to do it secretely. What set him to do so? I didn't know. On the dawn during my 18th season I finally learned why.

I was perched on the bark of a tree in front of her grave (as usual) when I heard the faint sound of two voices from behind the tree.

"Her children act as if none of them know..."

I craned my neck in an attempt to peek through the trees to succesfully see a quaint little hut that I never noticed before. Had I realized before I would stopped coming. I wasnt trespassing but, I did kind of wish that I wasn't so close to someone's land. The more that I thought about I never had any recollection of us choosing her burial site this close to anyone at all. I dismissed the thought at once and referred back to the speaker and his voice. It was aged and masculine; another voice broke through that was more youthfull.

"Who would find the need to them THAT? You speak as if the whole village knows."

The older man sighed heavily and said, "I do," his voice lowered slighltly, "That one there always stays the entire day. You know, I don't even think that Mirok knows. Poor man."

My body tensed at the name. Upon hearing the conversation I knew that they were talking about our family. I couldn't suddenly walk off without them knowing I had heard. I don't want to continue eaves dropping either. Whatever they had to say about me was none of my concern. Besides, I fear that I may hear something I wish not to.

"It's a private family matter, Father. They will always hold the woman who gave them life in high regard. They will love her no matter what her sins may have been."

The aged voice responds bitterly, "She should have been removed from the village or killed LONG before he married that D-"

"You are wrong to speak so ill of the dead! I will not stay here any longer as you begin to tarnish the name of a deceased woman." The light crunching of fallen autumn leaves indicated his footsteps in the echo of his outburst.

"I'm returning to the castle... Mi'lord is waiting."

I stayed still and silent in the same spot. My mind was racing with the unaswered answers. What had she done? Why wouldn't Father know? They were happily married in union. Surely, they told each other everything. Does he? What have I not been informed of? What is so major is there to know? Killed? After 10 mintues of my mental flood I get up in haste with a mix of rage, confusion, and determination. I decide to head home and settle the situation in my head. I wandered deeper into the village and then realized that my father never followed..

By the time I entered our hut, Father came rushing towards me and placed a rectangular leather-bound object that I soon learned was a gift from a time traveling friend by the name of Kagome.

It is inside that journal were the story unfolds and the answers are revealed.

**The Root of All Evil**

**Ch. 1 – Supermassive Blackhole**

I don't know. Well, to clarify, I still don't know. What could it have been? Only something so gruesomely forbidden could have the power to inject one of the world's greatest poisons through my very veins. It was horrifying. Yet, it was somewhat amazing. My entire life was altered. It would be putting lightly to say that night was a severe act of contradiction. I blame it solely on insanity.

I knew something was amiss the moment I felt the air shift in the dead of night. I could feel his prescence around me in the atmosphere. It had swarmed and hovered over me over the previous days. I never allowed it to bother me. I wouldn't let it now would I? No, I had an objective given to me that he couldn't disturb.

My feet drag me in the direction I had no intention of going towards. A magnet mysteriously placed in the inside of me doesn't let me break the pull. His aura increases as I get closer. I can't fathom why I'm doing this – I just am. My mind drifts into inebriation and it happens.

Gazing at silver strands of hair illuminating in the moonlight forces me under his hyponotism. He shifts his feet to lean to against the nearby willow. I never cease looking at his silhoutte and catch the gleaming light of a canine. Temptation has been set upon me with a devilish smirk. I pray that he doesn't know of it. They quickly become my downfall.

I sink into an even more vulnerable state. Before I know it I'm in his hold. Here I am, face to face with whom I learned to be the enemy – forbidden. I taste his breathe on my lips and stay intoxicared. He locks his lust filled, dilated, golden orbs with mine and I shudder under the intensity. No one breaks the gaze as if it's impossible as he inches his face closer. His piercing eyes shine like a thousand burning suns proceeding to blind me and melt me into smoldering ashes. Through my mentally impaired daze I register one demand with one single thought: _Don't let him kiss my lips... if anything. _

My head tilts to the side to let his lips fall on my left cheek. He trickles feather-weight kisses to the pulse on my throat as if the minor rejection doesn't phase him at all. I feel the blood rushing through that vein and wonder if he feels it under the surface as he gives a tentive lick to the spot. He looks from under of eyelashes for permission or reassurance when his delicate clawed hands grasp my obi.

It was a kind gesture, but I can't respond even if I want to. I make no response. He proceeded to strip all fibers of clothing my body and his in what seemed to be a quick swipe of his hands all while I remained still. He gently pushes us back into our embrace – flesh to flesh.

I gasp at the sensation that shoots through my body as my nipples brushes his bare chest. I know the reaction is wrong but comprehending why I enjoyed the touch was impossible. I have no emotional connection to this person, never known any form of attachment, and yet my body is creating different reactions that my mind is. I've lost all control of my flesh. I'm trapped in a single comparment of my brain with no access to the functions. My voice, my nerves, lungs, arms, and legs are all possessed.

Whether or not I force the actions, it is still me. Therefore, I still am the one doing it. I continue to crush my torso tighter to his desperately to get more friction and spark that same feeling. His calloused hands caress down my backside sending electric jolts to tingle up my spine. His claws snake around and begin to trace little circle patterns across my stomach. It chills me to core so he breaths into the junction of my collarbone assuming he created a form of heat. The intensity of his blazing breath magnified to scorch every pore on my neck. More cautious kisses then began to trail downward, and slowly, venture back to my face.

Inside the only walls that manage to not be consumed by a foreigner, I cringe. I fear for the worst possibilities and try my best to be prepared for the things I might not be able to stop. The fear takes me to a weariness.

I didn't notice the tears falling until I felt soft lips press onto my closed eyes. I don't know how I snapped out of the trance long enough to break our gaze, but I longed to do it again. He must seem to think that I've already decided to willingly give in and is crying for the sake of anxiety. He locks our eyes once more – all is forgotten. His lips return to my pulse to lightly nip and suck. My knees buckle but I never fall as he sucks harder, wraps his arms around my waist and leads me to ground underneath.

The weight of his body – there was none – but it's prescense was surely there above me. A strange mechanism swtiches on and I find my hands slowly winding through silk and massasing his scalp in appretiation. I hold my breath as his mouth takes in a soft nipple and sucks it erect. I suppose he purposely ignores the other as a form of teasing. Inside I feel the nausea and something else steadily forming .

Below, I feel an aching or an itch of some sort that feels like I could never scratch. I squeeze my thighs and rub my legs together in an effort to way it go away. He quickly notices my distress and rubs soothingly on my thighs to halt my movements. I follow his orders and he carefully seperates them and exposes me entirely. He situations himself between my legs and brushes one more kiss against my cheek before I lose it entirely.

The notion of losing made itself present and I caught it immediately. My efforts to regain power of my body have failed. I couldn't prevent the things previously done. How much longer will it be until he decides to let me go? What chance did I have of miracously making myself get up and run away?. In this one battle I feel defeated even if I haven't yet lost. His victory is in hindsight. I give up. I succumb to the supermassive blackhole that is sucking me in.

So the only thing I can do is weep again and the floodgates open. In a matter of milliseconds, we are one. I'm not just a half in the world but united as one with another half. This is what I believed to be the reason why only those who truly belonged together for eternity should be allowed to actually, merge together. He already began kissing away the oncoming tears before I began to feel this forceful tearing seep in. I was amazed and so, so shocked after realizing that not only was my innocence splitting in two but my universe as well. The sharp intake of oxygen mingled with fear and excitement was overruled as the latter otherwise he wouldn't have continued.

Who in their right mind would wait over half their lifetime to experience this remarkable _sensation? _The only thing that was wrong with the situation was that I do not have that much needed right mind because if I did I would be able to control these sensations instead of being trapped in a smaller sector of my own temple.

_I don't want this … I don't want this ….._

It becomes a mantra I inwardly chant against the opposite desires of my flesh. His movements are slow and protective, even, as he kisses over every possible trace of skin on my face. A sudden snap of his hips makes me emit a soft whimper. I didn't expect _that_ or my own voice to come into air. He grinds against me with grace and elegance. I bite my lip in order to mute any further noises.

_ I don't want this.. I don't want this..._

My breath grows more ragged with every stroke, increasingly heavier and labored in my attempt to muffle any moan that could possibly escape.

_** It's so beautiful**__. _

The cycle of escalating torture begins to almost destroy my insides. My body starts to convulse. I no longer feel the caress of grass against my back as it arches and exposes myself to the sky. Deeper and harder he explores while gifting me with the penetration to reveal nerves that I've never known to have. Soil fills every crevice in my feet as my toes dig into the Earth in satisfaction. My hands clutch him for support. My nails scrape into his flesh.

_**Rather death than loss of dignity. **_

Then, I feel as if somewhere on the corner of the earth I'm hanging onto the last thread of my life. The cord is disintegrating and I'm doing everything in my power to hold on. I break through layers of his skin to pull back up. But he keeps going and going to pull me down. My head flies back in agony as I'm on edge. I don't know whether or not he latched my ankles around his waist but it gives him the leverage to plow further. I almost vanish. Soft moans escape me and entertwine with the quick pants of his breath.

I fall and explode into disgraceful pieces of shrapnel as I choke on a moan and sob in unison.

**End Notes: Reviews are welcomed and greatly appretiated. Please inform me of any spelling errors or grammmar mistakes. Thank you for reading.**


	2. Monster

**Author's Note: *eDiT* This chapter is also edited. To anyone that hasn't read this chapter yet I'll try not to spoil anything when I notify these edits. I think this chapter compared to the original is a little more descriptive and realistic to what Sango feels. Her old reaction didn't make any sense to me. **

******Monster by Meg & Dia******

**The Root Of All Evil**

**Chapter 2: Monster**

I spasm and clench tightly around him, and with a hitch in his breathing, I feel the ribbons of seed spill into me. Through everything, that contact seemed to be the one thing that snapped be out of my trance. I could operate my own joints and limbs. My free will was gained back after it was momentarily under the spell of another. I didn't have time to rejoice as I soon realize that I'm basking in the afterglow of …. something. It was such an absurd frenzy that I don't know what to call it.

I lay there bare-breasted on the grass next to... next to... _him. _Out of all of the people in the world I find that to be the strangest part of this... thing. Never would I have imagined him to be this out of control or monstrous. He's feared by many humans and demons alike – in that way monsterous, but never had I thought of him sexually monsterous. Such a person that rarely shows emotion or tolerance for anyone could never be considered a _sexual_ being. Maybe it's rare case of holding his dominance and power over others and expressing a tormenting nature. I don't know why I had to be the rare victim of such a case.

There is a complete eerie silence that follows after our two body's breathing regulate back into their normal rhythm. Should I have dash off? Would he chase after me? Is he like a black widow that bites the head of their mates after intercouse? The new found freedom that I regained over my body has to wait as I try to make myself seem invisible. I'll PROPERLY respond to his lead.

He turns his head to roam by form and I notice the forlorn look in his eyes. He stares and admires as if he's looking into the distance, lost forever. I'll admit to feeling extremely uncomfortable under his staring so I shift to the right and wince as I receive a sharp sting in my pelvis.

He soothingly rubs his hand on the side of my hip. It did slightly help but the unwanted contact of his skin bites. I want to vomit instinctively, like a reflex.

"Don't touch me." The bitterness in my tone should be enough indication.

The distance in his eyes disappear and he swiftly jumps on his feet and walks toward the nearby willow tree.

_ Clothes, where are my clothes? Don't be torn, don't be torn. _My thoughts are getting more frantic. _I can't even remember?_

The field of fallen sakura blossoms is the only thing in sight, but I have no idea as when I began lose my garments. Neither do I have any remembrance of how or WHO took them off. I should be ashamed for knowing that simple clothes are not the only thing that I've lost tonight.

_ I can never get that back. Forget it now. Just focus on leaving. It was a dream - a very traumatic dream._

There is a light flickering in his direction. His form appears to be bending behind the willow. An abnormal shadow of something is in his hands as he places it on the ground. Turning to the left, he pauses. For the last time tonight, and hopefully forever, he glances back. I dare not look. He presumes to the left and gracefully takes his leave. His flowing hair is the last thing in sight. My getaway mission isn't complete yet. I've got to get up sometime and leave this all behind me - forever.

_ Damn it to hell, it's hurting to move. The slightest muscle movement is unbearable! Why is it even hurting to think?_

_** Maybe you should stop.**_

"Leave me alone!" He's watching me. Does he find this as some sick form of amusement? It's not funny in the slightest sense. I feel like a caged animal that was bruised and broken; oh how humorous! Maybe he does find it funny. If the tables turned I might have even thought it hilarious. I look around to make sure I'm not imagining things. I take 10 deep breaths to calm myself and continue onward.

Curious as to what he left near the tree, I struggle forcing my legs to carry me. The plan is almost like trying to control a paralyzed 80 year old man to walk across shallow water. The suggestion alone is ludicrous. Though, I wobble there and see that the mystery of my lost attire is finally solved.

But what truly catches my eye is the gleaming item placed on my kimono. A piece of jewelry even the most ornery widow would be obliged to keep. An elegant locket made of the purest silver with five embroidered emeralds molding the cast of a star. Nothing is inside it. Not a trace of an image or even a scripture – odd. The necklace is so breathtaking that I will wear it anyway despite the haunting remaining memory that it holds.

_ Would you not keep your mother's favorite item if she was gruesomely slaughtered? It's something to brighten the dark moment._

I still find it pretty bizarre that it doesn't contain anything. I hide it in my collar for no one else to see.

_ What direction was the camp site again?_

"Sit!"

_ The sound of that echo tells me that it's probably that way._

The anger in Kagome's voice luckily leads me back to the campsite. I find it unusual that no one has fallen asleep, but I'm indebted that they helped me return whether they know it or not. Suddenly, Inuyasha ascends from a tree and lands directly in front of me. His nose lightly brushes against mine. It's awfully close recollecting what happened in the field. I almost feel lightheaded from the immense amount of fear and dare I say it – thrill – being able to sense every breath he takes.

I tremble under his glare.

"Say Sango – where have YOU been over the past hour? Huh?"

All of the saliva in my throat evaporates forming a huge wad of sand –like substance to be lodged there. The glands in my mouth shut down. With this taking place, how can I manage to say anything? Moments pass by in silence.

"Alright then, don't say anything." He takes a step back and swiftly turns around facing the others.

"I wasn't the one worried about you anyway," he mutters.

"You know," pipes Kagome, "I was the one trying to persuade our half dog demon here to sniff you out. "

She gestures towards an elderly woman sitting beside her. "I knew this would be an opportunity you just couldn't miss out on!" The always cheerfull tone in Kagome's voice sends a small amount of anger through me. No one can be that happy all the time – it's impossible. Bad things constantly happen every day and yet she still talks like the world is in perfect harmony.

I let the anger ederly woman that she had previously gestured to is clad in layers and layers of different shades of grey, violets, and blues. A long black scarf wraps around her tiny head, interweaves in her long white ponytail, and softly flows down her back in light waves. Her body looks outweighed from all her clothes and, especially, from her overly decorative gold jewelry. It must cause her to number in at least an extra 50 pounds. Gold shimmers from every appendage of her flesh, ranging from her fingertips all the way to her ankles.

"At a very young I have specialized in spirits, past lives, and foreseeing the future. My name is Kereru." She threatningly stares me down and adds, "My last name is of no concern." The small woman persists to stroking Miroku's hand.

He looks over sheepishly and gives an uncomfortable grin that possibly could be read as "How exactly is it that my wind tunnel opening and why do I find the urge to suddenly want it to?"

"Yes, quit the eccentric one isn't she?" He lightly chuckles.

I feel the wisp of something other than the night wind and look down to recognize my furry demonic companion.

"Oh, I didn't see you there Shippo."

His eyebrows furrow as he looks at me with his beady green eyes. "Are you okay Sango? You're acting awfully strange. "

"I reassure you I'm fine. See."

I flash a heartwarming grin as I sit down beside Kirara. Shippo curls up into my lap and relaxes near the fire. "Guess what? The fortune teller lady said that she sensed a powerful aura when we pasted near her village so she'll read our palms - free of charge!"

"Yes, that's generous of her." I continue to whisper and look at Shippo, "But why is her 'last name of no concern'?" Shippo just shrugs and watches her minstrations.

I gently scratch behind Kirara's left ear. The kitsune yawns and takes a peek at me. Her eyes flash a light purple. I immediately stand up and let her and Shippo drop to the ground.

_ Did her eyes change colors?_

I tower over her and stare intently at her eyes with my mouth agape in mortification. This time they stay the same hue. I rub my own eyes to make sure I'm not imagining things. Again, nothing happens.

_ They were purple. I saw it. The same color as newly cut amethyst. I'm not crazy._

Miroku, Inuyasha, Kagome, and Shippo are all staring at me. No wonder seeing as they witnessed my out lash. All of them took notice expect Kereru. Her face was observing Kirara just as I was. She releases Miroku's hand and slowly walks over towards me. Her body seems so very fragile. Every step she takes seems like she'll break down or topple over any second. You can't help be nervous watching.

At that moment, she stops and everyone around her hesitates. Kereru quickly grabs my hands. Her strength is underestimated by her appearance. I almost fall from her force. My feet stick to the ground and I no longer have the ability to move. My eyes roll in the back of my skull and total darkness consumes me.

** A prairie covered in flowers is inhabited by only tree. The sun shines over every inch of land except the small perimeter of grass underneath the tree. There are two bodies lying under the tree simply admiring each other's company. There is a girl: petite and tiny but has a strong face structure to match the green fire in her eyes. Her skin is an alabaster white. Her jet black hair is cut pixie like to frame her perfect cheekbones. The young man beside her is her male identical. But what sets them apart is their rank in this superior territory. He wears the clothing of royalty as she wanders in rags. But he seats himself beside her and stares at with admiration greater than what he should receive. **

"**You're absolutely stunning." **

** The girl lightly chuckles and sits next to the man. "No one else here seems to think so."**

"**See," he murmurs, "how could anyone deny that you are not beautiful? It's my word."**

** She looks into his eyes and sees no evidence of a lie. But, she still refuses to believe him.**

"**It's your word against theirs'." **

** He wraps his arms around her in a soft embrace. Her body retreats into his torso and begins to inhale his scent. The aroma of lavender and honey seals her nasal passages. He's so wonderful that she can't help but receive a high whenever he's near. Her head shudders from the deep eruption in his chest as he clears his throat. **

"**No, it's a declaration."**

** She looks up in confusion. "And what exactly is a declaration?"**

** He gazes off into the distance but finally decides to rest his contact with her. **

"**I declare your beauty. So, how could they deny it?" **

** She aimlessly stares at an ant wandering across the bark of the tree. The wind sends it soaring away into the air. He declares things as if simply stating that the stars are bright. Everything is fact not opinion. **

"**I declare something too."**

"**Hmm, and what is that?"**

** Gently, they press their lips together in a chaste kiss and swiftly recoil to be face to face and repeat in unison. **

"**I declare that in soul and body we will always be bonded by devoted passion - eternally. **

The last words echo in my conscious. Kereru is hovering over me chanting something repeatedly in an ancient language. Miroku's voice is at a distance but close enough in range for me to hear.

"Sango can you hear me? Is she going to be okay?"

Her hand wavers over me and I seek into another deep abyss.

* * *

** Cold, shivering ice is the feel of his hands. She feels a heart beating against her back and it matches hers exactly. Every beat strikes in unison. His frozen hands inch farther down her stomach. **

"**So warm," he whispers into her ear. The bravado in his voice lingers there. But he continues his little whispers as his hands draw even further south.**

"**Love me. That's all I ask for. Love me." Sharp ice stabs into her right shoulder. He turns her around and looks at her with blank eyes as the girl slowly collapse to the floor.**

**End Notes: Grammar and spelling corrections are appretiated and reviews are welcomed. But most importantly thank you for just reading.**


	3. Angel in Diguise

**Author's Note: *eDiT* This doesn't have any major edits. I added a few sentences that suggest things about Sango's state of mind – if you want to try to decipher her thinking you might want to read and catch the few changes. It's mainly a filler. **

******Angel in Disguise by Cinema Bizarre******

**The Root of All Evil**

**Chapter 3 : Angel in Disguise**

I'm not were I used to be. I'm sure of this because I feel like I'm lying on something other than those strange bags that Kagome usually brings us. I'm comfortable to say the least.

_ Ugh, my eyelids. Someone must have dropped two little heavy anvils on them and forgot to pick them up. _

I manage to flutter my eyes open. What I see next pains me even more. Hovering over me is the most lecherous monk known in all of Japan. I love him with all of my heart but it's almost impossible to get over his ways. Every average women passing by is graced with the oppurtunity to , "bear his child." He's not wise enough to know that he's only offering an oppurtunity that many of them are willing to pass.

_ At least I hope so._

I know that I couldn't handle ever being seperated from Miroku. Still, the position he so cleverly puts himself in seems to be a continuing affair. Besides the fact that this current position makes me scared. Magnetically, my hand couldn't help but make contact with his cheek.

"Ow! Sango! I was checking to see if you were still breathing."

I quickly grasp my throbbing hand in embarrasement. "I sincerely apologize. I didn't know what you were doing, honestly."

He sits back and rubs the large red print on the right side his face while nervously scratching the nape of his neck with the other. "I understand – it's me right."

Miroku drops his hands into his laps and lightly chuckles, "I hope you don't think of me being that way all the time. I CAN be kind. You fainted only a minute after your return and I was worried that something happened. Kereru let me carry you back to her hut. I know your strong Sango but sometimes I think you overestimate yourself. I carried you from the campsite here. You kept gasping and I hated watching your body hitch for air."

"Oh, so I must have been unconcsious for some time."

He clears his throat and tries to keep his compsure as he responds. "Well, erm, four days to be exact."

I instantly set up from shock. " Four days?" My head spins around in waves and I land on my back from dizziness. Miroko runs over and gently lifts my torso up. He places his hands on my cheek and looks at me wearily and searches for something in my eyes.

"You can't do that. I don't you want in any state worse than the one you are in now. I've already been torturing myself by not letting anyone else see you and tending to you alone these last few days. I might not be able to withstand anymore."

I blush and become uncomfortable with the sudden contact. Heat travels to my cheeks and weakness returns. "You didn't have to do that Miroku. Kirara would have flown me to Kaede instantly."

He continues to hold me but let's his hand fall from my face. "It's not about whether or not I had to do it. Sango, what happened? Did you see anything out the ordinary?"

Hiding the truth from him is the most devastating thing I must do. Lieing to someone close to you should never be an option. But I'm doing this strictly for his protection. _How would he react if he knew __what happened? _I don't want to see and find out. There's a strong possibility of him causing a riot. The result of his heart splitting in two is even more tragic. Some things are better kept unsaid. Everything is a matter of harsh reality that I'm too scared to unveil.

"Nothing seemed strange. I searched for hot springs– I listened for the sound of water but failed to hear anything."

I can only fake the reassurance in my voice. The lies swell up in my throat and I have to gulp silently to keep them from pouring out. "I looked a little longer because I knew Kagome couldn't tolerate not bathing for a long period of time. The area was completely dry so I returned. The next thing I remember is being here."

"What could have caused you to faint? There must have been something?"

_ Should I tell him of what I dreamt of? I heard his voice though – he wasn't in the dream. They didn't feel like dreams – far too life-like. It couldnt't hurt to share them. I've lied enough. It would only be fair to spread some truth._

"I do remember having.. dreams. They were pretty vague but something about them seemed …. strange."

He removes his hands from my back. I didn't even notice them still resting there. Usually one of his hands would creep down my backside as a reminder, but that didn't happen. For once in his life he didn't seize the chance. My heart sinks into my stomach. I'm beginning to have faith that he might be changing for the better.

"Are you okay? Your not feeling lightheaded?"

I hadn't realized that I was staring. "Oh, no I'm fine."

"Would you like to tell me what happened in these dreams?" He scoots closer.

"Yes, right, well, um the first dream wasn't as dark as the second. There was a boy and girl alone under a tree. I suppose they were lovers because the setting was beautiful. But the boy believed that the girl was far more beautiful than where they were. She doesn't believe him though. He gives her a strong reassurance that it is most true. She responds my declaring there love for eachother."

Miroku's eyes flicker down to the floor. "A simple dream - who knows what it could really mean."

"The other dream … it was frightening. I was observing it but I felt like I was experiencing it. Those two things at the same time -"

Goosebumps rise of my arms and I shake. Miroku takes the blanket placed over my legs and raises over my shoulders. "You don't have to tell me."

"No, I should let you know. There was a man in room with a girl. The same girl in my other dream. This man wasn't the same person under the tree. I couldn't see his face but I could feel him... I could feel his hands touching her. I could feel her sense of repulsion. He kept touching her and whispering in her ear. He was too close. "

Tears begin to sting in my eyes. All of the terrible emotion of the dream floods into me. I can't control it. Everything pours out. Miroku's arm wrap around me. His hands rub by back in a plea to make me stop. I shake again but even more uncontrolably.

"He stabbed her. I could feel it. It hurt Miroku, it really hurt her ….. and I could feel it."

"Sango, dreams shouldn't be able to that. I think we should consult Kaede about this."

I hear Miroku's heart as I nod my head against his chest. He continues holding me there in the middle of the empty hut. I continue to weep and eventually drift into a more peaceful sleep.

I up wake up staring at the ceiling of Kereru's hut. I'm honestly scared to sleep any more .

_ Luckyily, I didn't have any more strange dreams. _

I search the empty room and see a futon lying in the corner

._Miroku must have decided to finally get some air. _I only asssume that he would do that rather than staying and breathing in this stuffy room.

I get up from the floor. Suprisingly, my feet still work properly. The blazing light of the morning sun seeps into my eyes as I walk out of the hut.

"Hey, sleepy head, over here!"

The tall, red, silver haired figure waves and beckons for me to come over. I try not to tire myself out by walking slightly faster rather than running, but Inuyasha keeps demanding otherwise. I get overcome with the urge of not wanting to anger him.

_ "_Hurry up already!"

Miroku standing beside him, braces his staff and strikes the insensitve hanyou in the head.

"She's hasn't been on her feet for some time Inuyasha. She mustn't strain her legs."

Kagome on the opposite side of Inuyasha, straddles her pink "bike" - as she calls it – and gives him an angered look.

"Sit!"

"Gah!" Dust flies everywhere as his seemingly large head kisses the ground to the glowing command of the beads around his neck. The small fox demon placed on her right shoulder shakes his head at the ignorance of Inuyasha's manners.

"Only Inuyasha to be so insensitive." Kirara glances up at Shippo and nods in agreement.

I come to a halt to greet my long time comrades. "I'm sorry for causing all of the trouble. I feel much better now thanks to Miroku."

"Well, " Kagome says, "you have to give Miroku all of the credit. He wouldn't let anyone near you. I knew Inuyasha could have carried you to Kaede much faster, but he insisted that you would fine with just a little sleep."

"I've already told him something similar but I suppose Miroku is just too stubborn to go against!" I attempt Kagome's overy joyous tone but it feels bitter and foolish on my tongue.

Miroku laughs at the joke instantly. "It seems your well enough to make jokes, huh? It that case," he uses Inuyasha's head as a stepping stone, "let's go."

Shipp turns around on Kagome's shoulder and looks back. "Are you coming Inuyasha?"

In dirt filled mumbles he says, "I'll catch up in a minute."

The rest of the gang and I follow the path to village. It doesn't take long for Inuyasha to join us. Before I know it, he manages to actually get ahead of everyone.

"Come on you bunch of slow pokes! We aren't going to get back to Kaede's before sun down with you all walking like that."

Kagome steadily riding along side him emits a deep sigh.

"Inuyasha – I'm so sore from pedaling. I want to take a nice shower just like the next person but I think I'd like to go home with my legs still attached."

He scoffs at the limits of our fragile human bodies. _He acts as if he isn't half human himself. _Him having full understanding would be like a snow in the heat of summer. Relief spreads through all of the weary humans as the sight of the village peaks in the distance. I look to the right and my jaw then tenses at the group of young girls traveling in the opposite direction. The palms of my hands become moist as I prepare for the worst to come.

_ 3 …. 2... 1_

_ 1? 1? _He walks further away. I know myself that he'll turn around any moment. Nothing. Miroku does nothing. The weight of my heart of my multiples. During all that has happened to me and the kindness he has displayed for my well being was true. He didn't slip up and throw it all away. I look over at Miroku and experience a whole nother feeling – one like no other. He smiles. A simple smile that unleashes powers so mystical I feel like as if I'm walking on air. He opens to his mouth to speak. Flutters bounce around in the pit of stomach.

"Maybe you HAVE recovered. If you hadn't we might be where we were 4 days ago. Those dreams you've had trouble me still. I don't know what to think of it. I get this – pulling feeling. We can only hope Kaede knows."

We finally arrive to the ederly priestess's hut and enter one by one. I enter behind Miroku as he holds the door.

"What brings ye hear?"

Miroku is the first to speak up. "Our dear Sango seemed to have suffered a period of unconsciousness. Despite the request of the others I aided her for those days. But, when she woke the only she recalled was having these dreams. They were strange to say the least but only she could really describe them."

I face the woman as begin to tell my story just as I had told Miroku earlier. "There was an empty field where two lovers speak alone under a tree. He tells her that she is beautiful and she denies it. He firmly makes the statement once again and the girl tells him that they'll be together forever."

Kaede nods her head in understanding. "Ye dreamt something many would find fairly simple."

"Well," I continue, "I had another dream about the same girl - only I could feel what she felt but observe what happened also. I could feel that it was someone other than the man in the dream before. His hands were frozen … dead."

I choked on the last word. I feel like I might break down like once before. "He tries whispering in her ear but it she finds it sickening. A piercing blade rips through her flesh …. and I feel it... every source of the aching pain. A normal dream couldn't produce that kind of emotion. I know it can't."

The old priestess walks towards me and flashes a small smile slightly raising her eyepatch as her cheek uplifts it.

"Ye have very vivid dreams and nothing more. They are something that should cause no weary. I am sure."

A certain hanyou has to make his prescence known to all in the room and chimes in. " Miroku made us waste a trip over Sango for nothing. We could have been looking for Naraku and jewel shards."

Kagome rolls her eyes and says, " I also came here to get to the well."

Shippo still placed on her shoulder replies, "Yeah, and you knew to come along anyway so you could try stop her like always."

"Not this time Shippo, Kagome needs to go take a bath in her own era. My eyes are starting to water."

The fury and anger rises in Kagome's cheeks and calls out Inuyasha's fatal word. "Sit!"

_ Twice in one day? She definetly needs to relax with a good bathing._

_ "_I think I'll do the same. Hot springs are beckoning for me. Soothing time is what I need to ... get rid of the stress lately."

**End Notes: Thanks for reading and I hope your enjoying the story! xD**


	4. Blurry

**July 18th update: Read the new Prologue in chapter 1 in you haven't - NOW. I highly recommend rereading the edits in Chapter 1 and 2.**

**Author Note: I am SO sorry for any person reading this story for my lack of updates. I feel like I let you down but most importantly because I hate to break a promise. Though, I do have an explaination (a very pathetic one but one nonetheless) the laptop with my plot outline and summary of the story was acting.. argh.. let's just say douchey. The files on it were curropted and unreadable so I couldn't get into and I had no idea where I was supposed and not supposed to go to. I didn't even remember what the ending the ending to my own story was. It finally got fixed but I still procastinated (bad habit that I haven't gotten over). School was kicking my arsch and graduation was stressing me out. I'm going to camp July 19th. So the next 2 weeks )or 1 week I won't be able to update it again. I AM working on it so don't worry. I changed the ending (might be a sequel!) **

**P.S For the special person that reminded me of the importance of this story, I have something I think is kinda special for you in an upcoming chapter!**

****** Blurry by Puddle of Mudd******

**The Root Of All Evil**

**Chapter 4 : Blurry**

I gently sigh as the heat rises up into skin. It wraps my body in a warm embrace as I slip lower into the water. Every insecurity and thought vanishes in a matter of seconds. It's more than a cleansing but a inner diluting as well. The strange teal hued smoky surroundings of the spring is probably the most wonderful thing that could have happened to me. I think back to what happened in that field and I shutter lighty at one of the worst things. I can still feel his hands exploring me. His callused hands were gentle and soft yes but, I wasn't prepared for those hands to touch in some of my most private of places.

The color rises up into my cheeks as I blush at the sudden thought. If any peeping Tom's were suddenly looking I could blame it on the steam. Well, I shouldn't have to explain myself to them for they are the ones invading my privacy. I've never been more grateful for having the gift of thoughts. Unless you were a mind reader, no one can invade my thoughts. Never did I imagine that I also would be here thinking of such things. My stomach knots and curls inwardly in disgust.

_How could I have ever possibly enjoyed that? I'm damaged...because now I might never enjoy it... no matter who I'm with. I'm ruined._

Wicked laughter erupts from the back of someone's throat. The sound grows louder and louder as if coming from behind. I sink into the water further until my nose is grazing the rippling surface. My eyes dart around looking for any intruders. The night is young but there was no way of knowing if someone or _something _was lurking. The only thing that I stumbled upon was an old man slowly trudging down a dirt road to a neighboring westward village. He seemed innocent and seemingly vulnerable. There was no need of hesistation before I stripped down and settled here (aside from the occasional peeping Tom that I was previously concerned with). Tremors pass through my body. Steam rises at the contact of my rapid breathing.

_**Oh please, you so obviously enjoyed yourself.**_

I frozenly stay afloat, unable to move. I'm completely unaware of where the voice is being emitted from. "Wh-Who's there?" Did I say it? I could have thought it instead and wouldn't have know the difference between my soft whisper to the water. I lift my head above the water for better projection.

"I know your there! You need to leave!"My efforts of trying to sound firm continue to fail as each word becomes higher from the emense amount of constriction forming in my throat.

_**Can't you just accept it? Why are fighting when there is nothing to go against? **_

The voice is ominous, dark, and softly feminine, but not soft enough to not sound as menacing as it does. "I'm not fighting anything!"

_**How very bold of you to think so. I, on the other hand, know different. Your mouth may not have been truthfull but..**_

She clicks her tongue into a tsk and continues in a childlike sing-song voice.

_**….. an image speaks a thousand words.**_

The water quivers and ripples as I rise and search frantically for my unwelcomed guest. mj

"Who are you? What are you talking about?" My voice cracks – my neck tenses farther.

_**Just like that nameless expressions as he took your innocence. The sighs and looks of relief and contempt as - **_

"Stop! Just stop! You don't know what you are saying!"

The voice chickles lightly in amusment and resumes to talk in a sing-song. _**You let him take you. **_

_**Harder and harder his body went. Your hips leaped and begged for more. He did as you pleaseeeed...**_

The evidence of a smirk played on their lips and crept through their voice.

"No," I mumble. My hand clutches my dripping locks. The burn of the memory engraved and scarred into my head rekindles and comes to life all over again. I think maybe if I squeeze tight enough it'll all go away. It might just go away if I can douse the raging fire.

_**It wasn't enough for you my dear. Hmph, not enough at all. Holding your very thighs apart , fingers seeping into your hips, grind-**_

Anger unleashes through me. My hands press against my head harder trying to block out anything and everything. Nothing works. The voice continues growing louder with each detail. My fingers tense and grab onto my raven tassles, digging into the roots and scalp. My mouth twitches in fury as I refuse to take this abuse any longer. I scream. I scream until the lungs inside me begin to burn and convulse, every contraction is unforgiving. I don't know whether the woman has silence Nonetheless, I continue to screech. I'm too scared to stop and hear that voice again.

Rustling bushes break through my loud pleas and I end my wanton scream with a tiny squeek. Quickly, I turn around and stare at the figure gaping at my bare form hardly concealed from the water. Shock devours my control and I freeze as the water grazes my navel.

_W-w-why is he just gawking like that?_

With a slight wimper of rage and embarrasement, I plunge into the steaming liquid once more. The crimson flush in my face is the only revealed. Miroku shuffles with his feet and snaps his jaw with an audible snap.

"I heard ," he clears his throat in a ploy to remain calm, " I heard screaming and thought-"

"I'm fine."

My sharp interruption only increases the akward stillness. The unwelcomed woman couldn't have possible made her exit without breaking the tension in the night air. For this, I assume she must have left during my hysterics. Still, the air remains the same until Miroku decides to cut through by changing the conversation to make his escape.

"Beautiful night, warm bath – seems I should take my leave and let you proceed." He swiftly turns away to head back.

I don't have the gall to say it to his face so I take the oppurtunity that his back is turned to me."Thank you."

Miroku ears perk at the low mumble and he turns his head slightly back in direction. Though, he doesn't fully look in fear that I might appear to be, well, _indecent. "_For what?", he carefully questions.

I study the pebble under my right foot and gently stroke it under the water. "Thank you for everything. You've done so much lately. I... I shouldn't have overreacted when you came." I shake my head lightly and eye my floatly locks. "It was rude of me."

The tension in his shoulders drops at his deep sigh. "What am I going to do?"

_What is he talking about?_

My silent question lingers in the air. I continue to hold my gaze at the pebble.

"If there is something wrong Sango you need to tell me. All of this... it's.. it's making me sick."

Th sadness and slight irration in his voice brings me to a cowarding state. My erratic behavior and sudden outburst - things like this aren't only affecting me. Little things (the glances, smirks, rear-end fondling) all of those little things had created such a drastic effect on me. Now, I see how the tables have turned. I never stopped to think these past fews day to consider his own feelings. Miroku must feel left in the dark, abandon – helpless. He must feel helpless in his own effort to help _me. _

_**Selfish **_

The pain sweeps through my brain. I let out a sharp gasp at the sudden feeling. My hands return their clutch at my skull. _Make it stop... please. _

_"_Argh, just stop!" The palms of my hands apply force to my ever throbbing head.

Miroko had already turned around at the sound of my gasp. Pain gleams through is eyes as he watches my haunting pleas. No matter how much I know he wants to, it's impossible for him to help. He doesn't have the power to take it all away. His efforts will be useless because in some way, under another circumstance the whole ordeal will eventually come back and be shoved in my face. I won't let him. He'll hurt worse.

He steps forward and sends an outreached hand the edge of the spring. "Why," his voice trembles, "why won't you let me help you?"

I wince at the pain and loud sound waves slamming into my head. I look up and see what appears to be a small drop of liquid trailing down his cheek and slowly curving down his chin.

_He misunderstood me. _These upcoming thoughts and emotions of regret and sorrow toward Miroku rack my brain as extra waves to the already storming tsunami of burning embers. It's a pain so undescribable that I myself can't comprehend. I ignore the tears pouring from my eyes and involuntarily focus in on the pain in my head. My cracked lips begin to sting as the salty liquid trails onto them. I've felt the water rippling around but couldn't care less that Miroku was trugding in the water closer to me sobbing and begging. I can't listen him to repeat over and over how ghostly I've been.

My hands begin to make slow circular patterns on my skull to possibly end this episode. Miroku's ramblings begin to reach my ringing ears as a sign that it might be working.

"No matter how much you scream Sango I'm not going anywhere!" Then at that very moment I hear something else. A blood curling sound so awful that I didn't recognize as my own voice. Suddenly, I feel the weight of wet cloth wrap around me. My voices dies out and I slowly close my stone like lips. Never stopping the ministrations upon my cranium, I hesitantly look up through a blurry haze and catch my breath as I stare into violet storm cloud gray eyes. I slowly bring my hands down. After find that my head spell is over I clutch at Miroku's body not giving a damn of my obscenity and whoever may be watching. I hold on for his support and willingness. He can sense and knows of the insettling nature harboring inside me. He's so aware that I don't even have to choke out,

"Something far worse is wrong with me and..."

..._she doesn't know what it is._

**End Chapter Notes: Please inform me of any grammar or spelling mistakes. Reviews are welcomed if you have time.**


	5. In Your Shadow

**Author's Note: NEW CHAPTER NEXT WEEK - AFTER THAT ANSWERS WILL BE REVEALED! There is a reference to episode 158. I'm glad to say that the negative things that happened at camp so far haven't bothered me to the extent of halting my writing. I've managed to use this as fuel for certain parts of this story. WOW! One day I had only 12 hits for my story this month. Suddenly, it skyrocketed to almost 200 after an update. I went back an hour later; it was almost 300! Last I checked it was over 400! You guys have made this amatuer writer SO happy.**

**$$ Sorry to say that this is another filler that is a little step to something BIGGER for chapter 6!This is one of the longest chapters of the story – FYI.**

****** In Your Shadow (I Can Shine) by Tokio Hotel ******

**P.S I like EVERY musical genre imaginable so these songs aren't all the same stylistically. **

**The Root Of All Evil **

**Chapter 5 : In Your Shadow (I Can Shine)**

I weep in Miroku's arms until the sky decides to weep for me. I stay entangled in Miroku's arm until my eyes dry out and the weather wins the liquid contest. My composure regenerates and his main priority becomes getting me into warm clothes and inside. I don't exactly know how, but I can simply tell as he wraps his drenched outer layer of his robe over my bare form. It's not close to what he really wants me be in. The small notion that he'll give me the best no matter the situation comes too means enough to be big. I feel a tug at the back of neck and come to see Miroku holding the silver locket I never thought to take off.

He observes the jewelry through the puffy redness in his eyes. Never was I aware of the shake and tremble of his body as he had cried also. If it weren't for those eyes, I would have mistaken his tears for the rain. Even if I was aware, I wouldn't believe that he could have cried as much as I. My appearance must be far more broken down and helpless. He looks utterly speechless towards the elegance.

"How did you ever get this?", he asks in a tattered croak that I find diffucult to find as his usual soft voice.

I suddenly look down and admire the beauty hanging from me and honestly reply, "I found it."

Miroku tampers around the creases of the star. A small click signals the finding of the opening.

It unlatches and causes him a confused expression. "Wh-."

I swifty interrupt his question with the answer.

"It was the day I collasped. I saw it shining on the … ground." The hesistation in my voice hopefully isn't very evident. I'm telling the truth. I am not lying - merely omitting a few of the details. How that could be considered lying? Miroku's expression quickly fades into the almost angry one to represent a person who knows exactly why it would be.

"Why did I never see this before? This could be the source!"

I wince at the amount of frustration marking his tone but I'm taken back that it's not the potential secret that made it so. He's only mad at himself that he couldn't have seen this. This little innocent locket flew under his radar. Only, I never would have thought that it could be harmful in anyway. My demon slayer upbringing provides with the kind of insight I need to check for such things. If this truly has been the cause of everything wrong, I will be angered with myself at the state of ignorace my feminine vulnerability has put me in.

"I couldn't detect any evil from such a pure looking object," I respond quitely, ashamed.

A comforting hand finds mine and lightly sqeezes it. "I wouldn't doubt myself with your incredible demon slayer skills, Sango. I don't want to rule out the possibility that this necklace is under some form of demonic power stronger that we can sense."

The rain morphs into an oncoming storm as the wind picks up. He leads me to the edge of the rising spring to begin out journey back into the comfort of Kaede's hut. We quickly run in the heart of the flooding rain. Miroku never released his hold on my hand and spontaniously decides to thread our fingers together. A loud thunderous boom shakes the earth and a stripe of lightning colors the skys. My stomach leaps and turns from all run faster and faster, quickly loosing all oxygen. A vacant building comes in sight and Miroku quickly steers us in its direction.

We land under the ledge of the roof to catch our breath before entering. Our shallow breathing is the only thing besides the escalating storm that we hear ringing in our ears. Both of us are hunched over gasping for the air that our lungs aren't prepared to take but so desperately need. I gaze at Miroku from under drenched bangs.

Soaked stray hairs mixed with his sweat falls pass his eyes. That, along with the sight of his position as he deeply inhales, makes it look as though he's been laughing so hard tears sting his eyes. I begin to laugh at the added exhausted expression marked on his face. It hurts so much to waste all of the gained breaths that I finally got back. Being in a situation like this, one can't help but laugh. Maybe I laugh to rid the pain or to conceal all of unhappy feelings. The laugh releases all of the pent up rage and sadness. I am no priestress or monk, but it doesn't stop me from purifying these evils and expelling them. Everything is so ludacrious that I don't care anymore. I throw my head back and just laugh some more.

"Why are you laughing?", he asks as my raging giggle fit breaks through the gush of rain.

"Haha …. I'm sorry... hmph.. it's just that everything is so – surreal."

A single eyebrow raises in question at my choice of words and I proceed to laugh again. My next round of silly outburst is quickly interrupted by an enormous clap of thunder that silences me with a squeak.

"Your optimism is endearing," he lightly chuckles. "I think we can post here until the storm passes."

I nod in agreement and watch hesitantly as he slowly opens the door. A high creek in protest later, Miroku gestures for me to step inside. I peer in and see an empty space with standing unlit candles atop an elavated alter. After fully stepping in, I see that it's a single roomed minature shrine. I stand in the middle of the room soaked in Miroku's purple outer robe.. The water drips into a pool around me on the floor. He strides around the room searching.

"What are you looking for?"

He stumbles over a hidden pile of twigs and logs behind the door and catches himself. "Heh, I found it."

He sparks fire and begins to light each candle. The room lightly illuminates and radiates heat from a small distance. I trudge through the excess water towards the candles seeking warmth and stop at the left end of the alter. Miroku grasps his last layer of robes unattached to the cloth concealing his wind tunnel. He continues to remove everything and places it them along the candles. Miroku steathily conceals his lower body using the hanging piece of his wet robes and placing it his lap as he sits on the floor, head resting against the alter. His chin shifts up into the flickering candle light and watches as it slowly burns.

I stand there, mouth agape, and motionless. My hearts pounds roughly against my ribcage almost greater than what the storm is doing to this little shrine. All of my natural defense instincts evaporate. They drift into the clouds, condense into water, and rain back down on the roof tauntingly.

_He is nude! You're standing here in the middle of the forest, alone. Alone with a naked man, a naked man that was the first to comfort you in you're vulnerable state. Both of you, trapped behind the doors of an empty shrine to shield away from a monsoon. _

But in my head, the real danger isn't the monsoon awaiting me outside. It's the nude man who so obviously prepared everything as trap. I have nowhere to run - completely lost without sign I have nowhere to hide. If I didn't know any better, I would believe that he was working with _him _all along. Both of them set out to drive me into oblivion with this constant fear. They are making this nightmare spiral out of control. It won't be soon before it crashes.

"It seems we'll be stuck here the rest of the night."

My jaw audibly snaps shut. _Exactly. _

Miroku observes my timid stance from his periphial vision. "You should stay awake until these dry; that way you can rest in something warm."

_What will you rest in? Where will you sleep? No doubt you will definetely use this to your advantage. _

He gives a deep sigh, "This is probably uncomfortable for you – me being this way - but I promise not to do anything."

_Ha, he's a mind reader! This must be a mistake. This MUST be a mistake._

_"_I believe sitting closer to the alter might be better for your health. You don't want to catch a cold now do you?"

Following any commands he gives me appears to the safest thing at the moment. There is no telling what could set him off. Would he do the same as _him? _Would he turn into that black widow? I don't wish to find out. My bottom finds the floor and I draw my knees to my chest, shivering. Miroku carefully glances over and gives an inoccent smile.

"You haven't said much. Is there something the matter, Sango?"

There's a hitch in my throat that I catch; I fidget in my position. "There's not much to say."

"Always one to remain quiet, but never to falter from speaking their mind. What's changed that?" His eyes downcast to the ground. His face is slightly shadowed in the dim lit room. I've never felt so out of place in my entire life. It feels like the world is shifting into a different cycle and I'm locked in one place without the key. He's demanding to know where it is.

"I don't know." I rest my head on my knee and turn to facing the hot embers. "Let's pray that it's only the necklace, " I mumble.

Miroku squints in the light towards the general area where the locket would be. "You should take it off to be sure."

I sit back up and bring my hands to the silver star. I wrap my fingers around the thin chain and slip it above my head. I release my left hand to gather my hair away from snagging into it. I place the article of jewelry in betweeen the last two candles and resume to draw my knees back.

He cocks his head to the side and ask, "Did that make you feel any different?"

"My neck feels a little lighter."

What he really meant was _Do you feel better?. _What I really meant was _no_. He must have cyphered the underlining meaning because he ask no more on the subject. I try my best to shake the unsettling feeling of his words: _Always one to remain quiet, but never to falter from speaking their mind. _True, but if I were to speak freely of what my mind thought I would be deemed mentally unstable or broken.

I send the words to a crevice in my brain where I keep the torturing memories of my family, the demon slayer village, _him, _and most importantly Naraku's hold on Kohaku. More and more situations seem to coorelate with my love for Kohaku and thedetermination to stop any evil that may come from him. It's very similar to the time with stampede of Zushi Nezumi's rat demons. I should hate Kohaku for what he is doing. But in the end I will only feel more regret leaving him unsafe and especially, hating him. Miroku was right. It is only the nature of the human heart. That nature which I cannot control. This situation involves self-loathing and the regret and depression that comes with it. My head _and_ heart collide now. Speaking openly to him would solve nothing. Miroku can not understand and therefore, won't be right this time.

I wake with a start as I felt the repetative shaking of someone's hand on my shoulder. _**BOOM**_ I gasp sharply from Miroku's touch and the racking of thunder.

"I didn't mean to frighten you. You fell asleep." He rubs his thumb across his four fingers and continues, "From the feel of it you're already dry as well. You don't have to change afterall."

_He would have fondled and changed me in my sleep, no less._

The sounds reaching my ears inside bring me to the conclusion that the storm has not ended. _Perhaps, it has gotten worse_, I think as I cringe at the lightning flash. I sit up and cross my legs on the floor. Goosebumps rise on my arm as a chill breezes past me from the howling wind. Bringing my hands to rub feverently up and down my forearms, I see that the candles from the alter have all gone out with no more wax to spare. A flicker across the room calls my attention to see Miroku hunched over (back in his robe) in the corner with a much larger candle.

"We'll have to gather around this." He stands up and walks closer to my vicinity and places the candle between us. He sits on the floor as a mirror image in front of me. We lock gazes and simutaneously tremble from the chill that floats through the cracks of the shrine. I scowl at the candle.

"We could be much warmer..."

Miroku bends over and drags the flame closer to me.

"There's not much of anything..."

He scans the room and furrows his brows in concentration. "The only other form of heat I can think of getting is body heat."

The suggestion of body heat makes me coil into a ball onto the floor and wrap my arms around myself. Nothing changes and the candle stands there proud - mocking me. I feel soft hands glide over my stomach and a chest press in my back. Heat engulfs and realization strikes.

_Oh_

Clinging to him moments ago felt appropriate. At present, the feeling only brings malice that crawls and taints my skin. I feel infected with insects and disease. They scratch and bite – too fast to catch. They leave me too paralyzed to try. The hands around me stroke my arms and kill the insects in one fatal swoop. I lay there in Miroku's idea of body heat. I become accustomed to our cacoon. The warmth shines through my stomach under his shadow. A small click of rosary beads gives me the support to trust that under those holy items Miroku's hand will no harm.

Accurately, we were only 1 shrine, 3 markets, and 5 huts away from Kaede. The trip over was a pleasantly calm and silent one. It consisted of only Miroku checking to see if I was feeling any better. I of course lied and said that I was back to normal. He refused to believe that as I ignored ever opening for conversation. I was eyed upon my arrival.

Inuyasha looks at me from a distance and scans me from head to toe. He suddenly bellows a loud laugh that ends with a smirk. He gives stretches and gives an impatient yawn. Miroku and I follow the trail and halt in front of Inuyasha as he crosses his arms. Miroku turns to him and asks, "Is there something you find amusing, Inuyasha?"

Inuyasha raises his eyebrow. "Now, what reason would Sango be wearing part of your robes and come here smelling -sniff- just like you? Besides, the obvious one."

Miroku and I exchange a bulged-eyed look and stammer like fishes robbed from water.

"No, no, no, no – I lost-"

"We, we never – her clothes-"

Inuyasha just nods with a smug smile etched on his face. "Uh – huh. I get it." He whips around us and heads in the direction of the sacred tree. He marches off and his steps get closer and closer to the well.

"Kagome's not going to be happy about this!" he calls out as he jumps down.

Both of us race towards the well and watch in horror as Inuyasha's body disappears in a purple haze of time travel. Grasping and leaning over the edge of the well tostare at the dirt bottom we hope that he'll come back for our explaination. I see my brunette curtain shield my face and look down at my bare throat. I release the edge of the well and touch the skin.

"Miroku, we left the locket."

**End Notes: Things feel kinda rushed here. This chapter was supposed to have another 500 words in it and I thought that would be too much for one chapter (especially when you accidentily move the mouse and you loose your place and the chapter is HUGE – I HATE that.) Things start getting excited next chapter and Chapter 7 & 8 makes ALL of the fire works go OFF! I predict that there will be about 18 chapters in all. ANSWERS WILL BE REVEALED!**


	6. Diamond Eyes

**Author's Note: Sesshomaru does make an appearance this chapter A VERY SHORT ONE. *sorry* I have to inform you that there will be a point of view switch. *dodges* Sango is supposed to drift a little Out Of Character. She's supposed to change for the worst. But have faith – Rumiko Takahashi made her a strong female and she will always be a strong female character. She may be in denial, depressed, and extremely moody (i.e. loss of inhibitions, mood swings, lieing, avoidance). **

**P.S – This is marked as a Romance - Sango/Sesshomaru story. There is also a little Sango/Miroku . This story isn't just a romance either. It's a lust/love romance. But I can't go into details about that otherwise I would be spoiling the story.**

**I'm not proud of this chapter. I edit and save this chapter, but the changes never save. Nothing is missing but the mistakes are still there so bare with me.**

******Diamond Eyes - Deftones******

**The Root Of All Evil**

**Chapter 6: Diamond Eyes**

"It's – it's gone."

Miroku marvels at the sight before him, or rather what isn't. The shrine's entirity was intact that very morning. Now, there lays the lower bottom of four walls. It looks as if a giant hand simply pluck the roof off of the building and carried away with it. The alter is smashed in two. A straight crack cut through the middle and caves in.

I stand there beside Miroku inspecting the sight and furrow my brows at the idea that anything other a demon could have possibly caused this. "What else could have?" - _and go completely unnoticed? _Demonic creatures and objects are slipping through the cracks. Kami knows what kind of havoc could be wreaked through these innocent villages.

Miroku's shoulder ease down. Where they _– tense earlier? _" The necklace may still be here."

He walks through the space where the door previously was and eyes through the rubble. He tries to stay as optimistic and hopefull as possible. "Any idea where you may have left it?"

I follow behind and proceed to the alter. Looking down through all of the left over candles and fire wood, there is no sign of any necklace. "It's not here houshi-sama. We have to find it or else someone innocent might get harmed."

The image of a little girl exploring and finding it appears in my head. No one is certain that the little piece of jewelry is harmless. It's a risk that I don't want to take with any one else's life or safety. Leaving it here at the shrine for only over a small amount of time left it demolished. Leaving it on my person left me with these visions. The odds are in favor of something being terribly wrong with it.

Miroku lifts up a pile of wood and scans under it. He drops it with a loud thud and agrees, "We should visit those three shopkeepers."

**POV SWITCH**

Days and days of traveling far and wide comes to and end to this prior planned meeting. The time has come to deliver the good news. Anything but, could see to this meeting turning into an all out battle. Though, the messager is very wise. They wouldn't purposely fail and trek over villages and countless mountains to be mutilated. Lord Sesshomaru greets the fortune teller with a small bow. She hums in response.

"I trust that you succeded your mission." It's more of a statement than a rheotorical question. Still, it's tempting to think that maybe this human is foolish enough to arrive to their death bed.

She nods with a jingle. "Lord Sesshomaru,"she begins, "pardon me for asking." His stoic face twitches only slightly. It twiches just enough for her to make it out in the night. For this, she cracks a crinckly smile. "Why not wait," Kereru waves her arms in a fluid motion with the wind, "and simply let nature take it's course."

Lord Sesshomaru's masked expressesion recenters at her actions. What right does this cursed human have to receive an answer? He doesn't owe this woman any kind of explaination.

"It's daring to question. " He strides past her and stops short. "Perhaps, you have already seen it."

The old lady cackles. "Cursed? I know enough to see that I am not the only one you believe to be cursed!"

Lord Sesshomaru hides his astonishment. Her abilities are maddening. The range so vastly that they never cease to shock him. His guard remains up with precise stiffness. This woman was born with the power to break all mental barriers. She has yet to break through each of his. She has gone through enough to know his every weakness and that is frightening enough. He'll never reveal such emotions. To do so, would be careless and against his nature.

Her cackling escalates to a harsh coughing. "Ugh, demons think mortality is a curse. Eh, heh, but mortals think my gifts are cursed. What- what you you have is no curse. Yes, I have already seen the answer to my question – among other things."

His hand reaches under his pelt. Kereru halts him with a stilled palm on his shoulder. Never would he allow someone, especially a human to touch him. He would have slaughtered them instantly. Although, the spiritual energy flowing through her ringers is too powerful. He narrows his eyes to her, but knows to do no further. "I know when my time will come. There will no need of that useless placebo." Her huffing slowly digresses. She clears her voice to continue."I must warn you Lord Sesshomaru, that time will only truely see things reallign." With that, she releases him to wander his lands with the remaining greed.

"Ah, it sounds like a very intracit design. I would have sold it first thing if I had it," the overly persuasive shopkeeper gleams, "Sadly, I've never seen such a necklace."

I stick out my hand to give the ederly man a curtisy hand shake. He eagerly takes it in a firm grip. A few seconds pass in uneasy contact. Only does the sound of Miroku approaching causes him to finally release.

"No sign of it, Sango-chan."

I release a ragged breath. _Had I been holding my breath?_ " No sign of it here either."

Miroku looks at the shopkeeper and musters up his last ounce of hope. "Sir, have any demons made appearances in this village recently?"

It's not plausable to say that this small village (so close to Kaede) could have experienced a demon recently and have gone unnoticed. Even if it was possible in some way, how could this area appear to be in one piece. There is no sign of destruction, no children or mothers crying in the aftermath. I instill some of the faith in my heart. Faith is not like a spreading illness. All that remains is what's already there.

"I'm sorry, monk but the last attack we've seen was a little after the fall harvest."

Miroku's eyes lose all glimmer as he plasters a fake smile to bid the man farewell.

We end our hunt at the last place Miroku suggested. "-the joining stream to the springs."

It was a tiny source of water mainly used by the village for vegetation. Many wifes and farmers gather here to collect water. _Children_ often come along. I shudder at the reaccuring thought. Miroku trails the edge of the edge. I trail behind looking for anything that he may passed. After a short while of inspecting, I see a crimson ray of light reflecting ahead of Miroku. I dash past his bent form so quickly that he almost losses his balance. He yells.

"Sango!"

I find the root of the crimson light. I scratch through the grass and gasp. The silver star locket has a red liquid swimming in the five emeralds. I tentatively reach for it. My fingertips graze the chain and the liquid flashes erratically. -crimson-emerald-crimson-emerald- Miroku lands beside me shortly and sighs with relief.

"You've found it."

_It's flashing! _He gives no reaction to what the jewels are doing. -crimson-emerald-crimson-

"S-see..."

He chuckles with excitement or joy. "Hai, I see." The flashing fades in and out and eventually halts altogether. Miroku plucks it from the ground and slides it against my fingers.

"We should return." I shake at the sight that I had just seen and dismiss it. I dismiss it for the reason that Miroku dismissed it also. _He thinks it's demonic. Of course, demonic things would do that. __No need for overreacting. _

I look up at him and nod. "Hn, we should."

He gives me a puzzled gaze . I blink. _Do I suddenly sprout three heads? _He blinks back and returns to his normal expression. "After you, Sango-chan."

Kaede reassures me multiple times that nothing is wrong with me nor the necklace. I disagree wholeheartily. Miroku seems to give in to Kaede's final word. No matter how many times someone tells me that everything is okay, I know different. Concealing and using trickery this far along has gotten me no better. Keade-baba has no way of knowing what's wrong with me if I don't speak. The scavaging for the necklace was only a distraction – for me. It almost made me forget completely. Getting the necklace back only reminded me why we were searching for it. I feel different doing things with a hidden agenda.. Miroku has even gone to treating me different. He's not treating me entirely the way I feel but it's – different.

Returning to the village, he snuck away with Shippo saying that he "needed to discuss man things." He doesn't know that I followed them anyway. I overheard him asking Shippo if he ever noticed that my eyes were green. Green? I immediately ran to closest river and pondered at my reflection. Never had my eyes been green! Miroku must have been seeing things. He wouldn't notice what hue my eyes are due to him refusing to look at them recently.

I never admitted to seeing the flashing of jewels. I don't feel that I have to. Houshi-sama saw it also. Maybe, what we are experiencing is some future illness. Kagome's constant questioning and retelling of futuristic discoveries sometimes leaves me wondering for the worst. As soon as she returns, I should ask her. She makes thing more practical with her advanced medicines.

The time travelling miko usually takes prolonged visits from each era. Never had I wanted Kagome to return so quickly.

**End Notes: So many fillers lead up to some big chapters. I'm pulling out the big guns for the next chapters! Final Exams + Long Nights + Sesshomaru = a lengthy Chapter 7!**

**I think after this chapter the length of the remaining chapters get bigger. I'm so excited that you don't even know! Trust me when I say that these last few chapters are boring on purpose. I'm so excited that my knuckles are turning white.**


	7. World So Cold

**A/N: Sesshomaru and Sango will actually be in the same prescence in is this chapter! Again, this chapter was supposed to be a lot bigger, but I couldn't cut it at the point that I wanted without everything being screwed up. Mwahahaha! I'm not that evil, but this chapter will make you - A.) say, "Whaaat?" B.) confused C.) annoyed D.) sit on the edge of your seat – or E.) Sit on the edge of your seat confused and annoyed saying, "Whaaaat?"**

**Enjoy a good *crosses fingers* chapter for once and to YazooBear : Here is your gift! Don't hate me if you thought it was something bigger. *Tell me – I'm in a generous mood ;)***

****** World So Cold by Three Days Grace******

**The Root Of Evil**

**Chapter 7 : World So Cold **

Shippo, innocent fox youkai Shippo, has yet to tell me the truth. "Are you positive?" The young demon looks up and nods again in confirmation. He reads the disbelief on my face and takes a deep huff, preparing to tell the story again.

"Kagome came back and told Inuyasha that she has 'finals'. Whatever it meant, it made Inuyasha explode! They agrued and Kagome left right after she made Inuyasha sit. After sulking for awhile, he stormed out muttering 'two weeks'!" He does his best Inuyasha impression and ends with another deep huff.

His detailed story and the truthfull look in his beady eyes leaves me believing. The urge to chuckle at the image of Kagome and Inuyasha doing their usual bickering almost relaxes me. Almost. I'll have to spend two weeks until I can talk to Kagome. Two weeks feeling anxious and unprepared. I'll be wasting away with worry, fearing another spell that may occur. No such thoughts, dreams, or intruders had made themselves known lately. But, it's only been a day since the last headache or dream. Who's to know if that's been due to my fatigue or lack of sleep?

I never thought I would or could feel this way. The accumulating guilt leaves a shell for me to live in. It's consumed everything. Wallowing in it as I walk around with my heart beating in my chest, blood coursing through my veins, and air filling my lungs isn't what I want to be classified as living. For now and days to come, that's what I'll have to take.

There's not much to do when Kagome and Inuyasha both decide to leave. The hanyou's constant jewel shard hunting requests (demands, really) and the miko's unexpected returns leaves the remainder of us here. This has always been our silent agreement. Though Kagome's arrival in the Feudal Era is expected in 2 weeks, Inuyasha's return may be spontaneous. So, Miroku, Shippo, and I (with Kirara of course) wait , I should rephrase something. There's not much to do that you _want _to do when Kagome and Inuyasha are gone. Keade-baba has a clever way of always needing some form of handy work that usually requires one of us. No one was surprised once she beckoned for us.

After 7 days of chopping wood, washing quilts, and harvesting the remainder of crops that were long overdue, the old miko ran out of chores. This is the first out of (hopefully) many times that I'd have to say that doing excess work wasn't horrible. The sweating, the back pain, and the wrinkly and blistering fingers was done in content. Throughout the entire time, never once did a minor or severe episode occur. I managed to catch up with the facade on the surface. No one seemed to notice as I readjusted back in my normal place. It was invigorating to be able to fill in the hole of the determined, strong, and potentially love struck demon slayer. I'm excited to jump into the action of defeating Naraku. I'm anticipating the possibility of Kohaku's return if all ends well. I'm anticipating the new love and life that I may gain once the deed is done. All is well.

With a free day and nothing to do, I sit under the sacred tree, eyes closed, basking in the pleasant feeling of my sane return. I reach down and catch the star between nimble fingers. The prove is in me that this locket had nothing do with my ill will. I hear the familiar shuffling of footsteps in the distant and feel the corners of my lips tuggin upward.

"There you are Sango."

_Miroku_ – I open my eyes and fall victim to my lips pull and smile. "Would you join me for a walk, houshi-sama?"

That afternoon stroll sparked something. I could only name it as the beginning of a good story. The beginning was... intriguing. It left me wanting more. It started this need to hear the rest and this want to continue listening. I could tell it was only going to get better with the more time and effort I put into it. What I felt at the end of the day was simple. It was happiness. It was the kind of joy that I could remember while living in the village of my people. Miroku gave me that happiness from his free will. I don't know what persuade him to do so but he did it. He caught me off guard stroking a hair from my face. He stole my heart when he kissed me and told me he loved me.

The next day ended in another chapter that left me speechless. We had lain in grass fields side by side, giggling at the outrageous shapes made out in the clouds and progesssed to numbering the stars as night fell. Miroku discussed the trials of his childhood and revealed intimate details of things I had already known. I never asked him to. He let the words spill freely from his lips as if he … trusted me.

Our relationship began to develop daily. Our time spent together held different meanings. They are slowly merging together creating this big theme that is to be revealed. Deep down I know that it's meant to be love. Foreshadowing has lead be to believe so. Knowing the ending doesn't make up for the lack of information that I have. I still don't understand the answer when I can't comprehend how to get it.

I didn't realize this until Miroku upset me. It was a silly comment questioning my level of female sexuality. It angered to me make a joke over a topic that I found sensitive since early adolescense. I felt barbaric to have been covered in blood of countless demons and still have the audacity to want to be adressed as a woman. That's what his words meant to me. After a chain of quick pleas and word adjustment did I finally forgive. I learned about the difficulty of understanding and boy, was it hard.

An unselfish, pridefull, caring, adoration settled into both of our hearts. No word came from Kagome or Inuyasha. It didn't matter because that meant that it left all of the time in the world for us. Seven small days felt like a lifetime. Miroku and I had harbored these feelings for much more than that. It never felt rushed or forced. I didn't fall for him in 7 days. I opened my eyes to it after a brief closing. It was enough to open ourselves to the idea of wanting to live for someone else. It was enough for us to fully commit to the idea and never want to turn back. We got this far together and it didn't make sense to give it up. Our strength is given to one another and we planned on keeping this support.

It swelled up into this deep passion that we long waited to unleash. Given the oppurtunity to finally let it go came easily. Inuyasha and Kagome had delayed their return days now and it didn't make us think about halting our progression. My independent progress was just as great if not better than mine and Miroku's together. My nightmare had ended on its own. I won't refer to as anything else.

_I won't refer to it at all. _

And that's that. Life goes on. Period.

"You really mean it don't you?" Kagome asks perched on the cotton sheets of her bedspread. She peers at Inuyasha with wonder and confused awe.

He halts his actions with Buyo on the floor and stares seriously. He holds this gaze momentarily to extinguish her questioning until he gives an affirmative, "Yes."

Kagome's jaw slacks and her eyes twinkle in the absolution of it all. She inaudibly closes her mouth and rapidly nods in agreement.

"Okay, okay, let's do this." Inuyasha jerks Kagome into a tight bear hug. A growing blush spreads across her nose and she finally gives in with a content sigh. He loosens his hold and murmers in the bunch of her hair, "You have no idea what this means, Kagome -no idea."

At that, she silenty sheds a single tear.

Miroku's sneaky fingers weave their way around my waist and rest. A delicate chin pertrudes atop of my right shoulder from behind. "My dearest Sango..."

This is his way of showing affection and in a way, submitting. It used to catch me off guard when he would just come up behind me and lean that way. I never thought of it as anything. Maybe he was tired or simply liked the closeness, but I've managed to almost read his mind. He wants nothing more than to cuddle like Kirara. I sometimes wonder if he gets jealous of her...

"I'm back …. oh!"

Upon hearing the announcement, Miroku makes a haste decision to slide his hands down my 's intrusion reverts Mirkou back to his old ways in a urgent way to conceal our position. A blistering mark to the cheek is the result. Old habits die hard, I guess.

"Houshi-sama that was so sweet!"

He gives a noise between a keen and a wimper. She quickly adds, "Well, you shouldn't have been embarrased!"

"I know," he says after giving his face a small rub. I hand him a cool damp cloth to hopefully take away some of the sting. The downfall of the flash of chaos lives an unsettling feeling in the room. It's quiet – too quiet. Miroku is the first to speak.

"Where is Inuyasha?" The mention of the loud mouth hanyou makes Kagome suddenly freeze, then relax. She gives a nervous chuckle and clasp her hands behins her back. This stance of her's happens when she creates a mental shell to deny and block out anything. Though, the nonchalant or almost melancholy look in her eye is the same one formed when Inuyasha decides to find Kikyo. I'm almost afraid to know what the combination of those two could mean.

"He'll be returning shortly. I'm supposed to lead our camp somewhere so he can meet us."

_That's odd. _

"Sure, then."

I turn to Miroku and Kagome skeptically and shrug. We have to go along with whatever haste plan Inuyasha has already set into action. _He never asked us anyway..._

It's late – the witching hour to be exact. Kagome's sense of direction is very poor seeing as she lead us in cirlces. Her constant fumbling and the deeply engraved look of confusion she put on her face at every fork in the road didn't hide that well known fact to anyone. I could tell she was tempted to ask for directions the way she set her lip in a tight straight wasn't until dusk and the sudden change of direction did I notice the mountain ranges in the distance. The landscape, the lack of demon threats – this had to be only one place. In the back of my heart a small tinge echoed, begging to be noticed. I grabbed Miroku's hand and tried to remember to breath. _In. Out. In. Out. _It eventually faded away.

I lean into the comfort of Miroku and settle my eyes on the fire as we all patiently wait. Gentle embers weave up into the night and scatter across the ground. Ashes to ashes. Shippo and Kirara curl into a sleeping bag to welcome slumber. The roasting fire cackles. Kagome absentmindly searches through her satchel. A sudden large spark spits from the fire. I follow it intently. It dances towards the trees gracefully. It sways back and forth almost invitingly.

Inuyasha's face suddenly comes into view as the spark dies. I was so focused on that; I didn't notice him approaching. I quickly took notice of the floating orbs emerging from behind him.

_ Breath. In. Out. In. Out. _

"What is this Inuyasha?," Miroku aks. _Breath._

Kagome straightens her back and quickly intervenes, "He's here to help. It's the only way to defeat Naraku and it's hard to say," she looks at Inuyasha encouragingly, "but we need him."

Miroku shifts in his seat. My back adjusts with his torso's new position. _In. Out. _Miroku quickly debates this situation in his head. Trying to locate the tension between the two, he battles with the thought that the person who has had the most .. diffuculty with _him _must have clearly already succumbed to the idea. Having no real problems with _him _and always being the realistic one; he gives a 'oh' to indicate his okay.

_Breath. _

The attention falls on me. What am I to say? I must think rationally and quickly. He will be a good hand to lead us to victory with. I take another breath to still next exhale brought me out of my denial. It sucked me from the warm pit that I had lain in. It stripped me naked on onto the cold world. I feel the remnants of the piercing ice and its wounds. Everyone silently pleas for me to accept something that I can't deny. Trickery.

The rise and fall of Miroku's chest persuades me to fight back. _His – _no I have know to thy enemy. _Fight back._ _S-Seshomaru. _Yes, Lord Sesshomaru. It is Lord Sesshomaru – the bitter cold that I'm forced to dwell in, to suffer through, to fall victim to any other storm or hale that he may expose me to. This time I have houshi-sama. I have a large fur coat to shield it all away. He wouldn't dare try any of his foul play. I should have warned the others of this newly acquired skill, but it's too late. I can't explain something after the fact.

I look directly into the golden doors to his soul and without a trace of fear, I nod to fate.

Kagome releases a quivering sigh of relief. "That turned out better than imagined. I was sure _someone _was going to object."

"Like I said before Kagome, at the rate we're going no one was going to object it," he sends his gaze to us, "You may not like it now but it's gotta work."

Miroku pets my scalp affectionately and says, "It makes sense... to seek such a strong .. alli." His hesitation is toward the one question lingering between the close proximity of our bodies. _How did Lord Sesshomaru agree so suddenly? _Had this compromise started forming earlier? I gulp. Me?

All bodies stay motionless. We stay still in order to adjust to this new addition and most importantly, his royal prescence. Miroku nor Kagome dare to ask how this came about. I, barely having the strength to not breakdown, had long decided to make myself seem invisible by trying to blend into the fabric of Miroku's robes. Act normal. Still, fight it.

A loud snore emitting from the two sleeping figures breaks the stillness. Inuyasha outstretches into a wide yawn and blinks to keep wake. "Well, time for sleep."

Sesshomaru darts a narrowed eyed glared to the hanyou. "We should discuss our battle tactics."

Inuyasha quickly shakes himself and agrees. "Oh yeah, yeah." He furrows his brows answers, "We don't really have a battle plan."

Lord Sesshomaru's stone face remains unmoving. Only the slight edge of his voice marks his annoyance. "Of course. You swing that blade around carelessly while the others try to prevent becoming slain."

Miroku's cursed hand forms a tight fist. Those poisonous insects – it's true what the demon hanyou strikes with all of his might but Miroku can only do what's best defensively without becoming poisened. Kagome showers the fields with sacred arrows but can only do so much to quicker foes. I try myself to find weak spots but the others are too busy defending themselves while on the offensive borderline to provide any coverage. Thinking about us as a whole sounds more like a group of individuals – a free for all.

"We try our damn best! Naraku is just - just too fucking evil!" Inuyasha vents angrily.

Shippo and Kirara stir in their sleep. Kagome continues in a whisper, "Kikyo. Naraku gets a small distraction towards Kikyo."

"**It's like Onigumo's love has kept his hold on him**," I interject.

Sesshomaru's eyes connect with mine for a split second. So much for being invisible. _Breath_. His gaze averts to the dwindling fire in the middle of the circle.

"I guess being a half demon like Inuyasha, he would have some or half the similar effect. Given enough, he may have the upper hand."

Inuyasha plops on the ground beside Kagome. He drags his clawed hand down his face. "Spit it out Sesshomaru."

"What he means to say is, what effect?"

For possibly the only time, I witness Lord Sesshomaru's face slip into a mask of – disappointment? He takes it off immediately. If I weren't I company of others I would rub my eyes to make sure I had seen correctly. No one acts as if they seen it – my eyes being the only one.

"Demons know of their past lives. All of the memories, senses, and feelings are inbedded in them at birth. I would think that half demons may know half of theirs'."

It strikes me odd that he would believe that any of us knew this. His shock was surely great enough to dissapoint him. To let it show for anyone must mean that this 'oh-so-basic' demonic trait is bigger than what we could imagine.

"I'v never had any memories of anything."

Kagome becomes interested in the topic. "How would humans know of their past lives?"

The demon lord looks at each of us, closely. He finally looks to me with the same stigma of disappointment in his eyes before responding. "A priestess."

"Demons must already know their strenghts, weaknesses, and deepest fears. Amazing..," mused Miroku.

The gang tries to absorb this new found glory. We sit in awe at the wonder of knowing such things before fully understanding – anything. Knowing who you are the moment you take your first breath. We would have marveled at the idea longer if Sesshomaru hadn't stormed off in an obvious rage.

**End Notes: Jeez what got his panties in a bunch? Find out.**

**Oh yeah, school is starting back this week so High School is hoing to be whipping me into shape. But i'll try my best for you guys.**


	8. Give It Up

**A/N: The people sticking with this story mean SO much to me. The quality of the attention given to me by my readers means more than the quantity. You've probably noticed that some of the chapters haven't been edited so try to dismiss the mistakes for now; ignore the songs if they bother you.**

****** Give It Up by Fefe Dobson ******

**The Root Of All Evil**

**Chapter 8: Give It Up**

I exterminate the demons threatening to unleash in one long ragged exhale. Miroku touches my shoulder briefly before asking, "Time for bed, Sango-chan?"

Going along with the assumption, I reply in a tired tone, "Hai, I should prepare for bed."

I wiggle myself from the safe confinement of Miroku's body and walk over to the sleeping bags laid out for us. Inuyasha's mind soon registers with what had previously happened, not long ago. "What the hell?"

"He never wanted to really help," Kagome sighs. Just above a whisper to Inuyasha she warningly adds, "You can't go after him, Inuyasha."

"It's a wonder how Inuyasha convinced Sesshomaru."

_My thoughts exactly, Miroku. _I snuggle under the fold of the sleeping bag and direct my back to awake members. I close my eyes to welcome sleep. Still, my ears perk at the sound of voices in the small distance.

"Ha! I'm rather persuasive, monk! I didn't think that we really needed him until now."

A sound of sliding skin against skin sounds before the muffled voice of Miroku says, "Our lack of organization put him into a rather awful mood. He probably thinks that we aren't good enough to fight next to the all powerful lord... we'll have to go without him." He gets up and begins to walk closer to the sleeping forms. "As for me, I'm off for the night."

Inuyasha growls in anger. "All that for nothing!"

"It'll be okay. We ARE going to kill Naraku with or without Sesshomaru," Kagome comforts.

Inuyasha confesses dolefully, "It just doesn't seem possible anymore."

His words desolve into the atmosphere. They condense into a nefarious veil. My eyelids unlatch, and I gaze at the green scenery in the eerie post silence. _We need him... _I was absolutely overjoyed that he left. All of his indirect attention and pressure put up a terrible battle against my will to break... _But do we really need him? _He's already pointed out one of hugest flaws. We could easily fix it – without him. Though, is it truly my guilty and terrified conscious objecting to this?

Suppose that all what he had done was only a ploy to get me to convince the others to be open to him. The youkai must have developed a hatred for Naraku after all of the endangerment he's put to his human ward. _What was her name?_ Rin – he's shown an almost protective affection for her. He's had the same idea that if he joined with Inuyasha's clan he could defeat him. _No, he's far too powerful to think that. _What other reason would he agree to Inuyasha so quickly (knowing the hanyou well enough to say that he isn't exaxctly "persuasive"). Why would he have gone through all of that trouble .. with me? If that was his initial purpose, then he's horribly mistaken; it's made me against him entirely. I certainly will NOT argue in his defense. I furrow my brows and concentrate of the tree in my bee line sight. _It's maddening. _Just think, I'm lying here with all of this excessive information that I can't reveal to anyone. _And for what?_: my own hidden resentment.

A whistling snore emits from above the tree. I inspect my surroundings and glance at the sleeping Miroku, Shippo, Kirara, Kagome and Inuyasha all in their respective makeshift beds. I 'm left awake being the lone person to fail in meeting the sandman. I had lain there deep in thought long enough to not notice slumber fall upon everyone. Sudden movement from a bush to the right sends my alerts on high. I whip my head around to the source and squint in the dark. My heartbeat accelerates for the oncoming adrenaline. I control my breathing to adjust the speed of my pulse. It slows down in preparation for any impromptu movements. I still all blinking to adjust to this lack of light. Suddenly as if stars the brightened, everything looks lightly illuminated. An even lighter wave of white wisps in the leaves to reveal this beautiful monster. My heart races against my own will as an ice faced Lord Sesshomaru slowly emerges.

"Your eyes... " he starts. I turn my head averting my eyes back to Miroku across the camp, hoping that he'll go away. I attempt to slow my pulse once more but fail in keeping it in a steady rthym. Defense is the mode set in my limbs.

He continues in almost velvet-y soothingness. "A timorous demon slayer? That seems highly illogical."

_Timorous?_ My jaw tenses in frustation. The absolute audacity he exerts! I face him directly with an almost deathly challenging glare. "What do you want Lord Sesshomaru?"

His mask morphs into anger. His eyes form into narrowed slits. "Come with me," he demands as he swiftly turns arounds and begins to trek in the distance. I contemplate to follow as his body disappears into the woods. The last ends of his white hair blend into the darkness as I realize that this is my last chance to ever get the answers I need. I get up from the ground and bite back the cold on my bare toes as I stealthily run to catch his trail. My eyes readjust to the lighten the forest as I create a distance between the camp.

So, I run. I break into a sprint to catch up with a full fledge demon – my second mistake. I should have awoken Kirara. _I couldn't have her with me. _She may be inable to tell about this meeting, but she'll know. I couldn't stomach the idea of her sending me questioning looks afterwards. Her senses are just as great as Lord Sesshomaru's. _Her speed is also. _I begin to heave a sigh that suddenly turns into a muffled scream as a clawed hand wraps around my mouth. I fall forward from my mistep but then come to face to face with Lord Sesshomaru as he spun me around and stopped my fumble.

My calf twitches in anticipation to dash. I firmly stand my ground, looking at him directly, and heavily breath in and out. I'm taken back as the corner of his mouth curves into a knowing smirk. His takes his chance to then wrap his arm around my waist. The next thing I know, I'm staring at the back of his legs moving forward and the ground waving goodbye after he hoisted me over his shoulder.

"Let me go demon!" My legs kick widly hoping to hit him in the chest. He clamps my legs firmly on his torso and halts. Very slowly, he whispers lowly, "If you dare scream or struggle, I will kill you – without hesitation."

I continue to flail in protest. _I'll not stand for this! _Expecting a deadly blow, I brace myself. Out of know where, a loud whoosh knocks the wind out of me preventing any scream. My eyes water as the vivid sight of trees pass me at a such rapid speed. I blink them back and freeze in my state of shock. Never before had I seen the forest this way, and before I can admire any longer, it all comes to a stand still. My ears ring out as my head swims in the waves of dizziness as he sets my back on my feet. I attempt to regain my balance to observe my new surroundings.

"I demand to know were you have taken me."

Lord Sesshomaru sends me a slightly aggravated stone expression before answering, "The Western Lands"

_His territory..._

I ingest the lump in my throat and compose myself to the best ability. "What do you want with me?",I ask in my most bravest voice (which at the time, doesn't seem like very much).

_What does he want with me? _It's the foundation of it all. Why has he chosen to do what he had done? What made me stand below the rest for him to choose me? What had I done to upset the fates so horindencly?

"Nothing."

That's the aswer to expect from someone who has stolen your innocence and sanity? No, that's the lie that is expected from someone dumb enough to believe that it might sound true. _Or someone arrogant enough... _

"It's your soul that mine wants," he quitely continues as if scared to let anyone else hear.

_It wasn't exactly my __**soul **__that he was robbing me from. _I scrunch my forehead in confusion at the thought. I've never heard of such a thing. Well, soulmates do what he had generally done. Is he implying that the act makes them soulmates – bound together for all eternity?This demon has gone mad. Forceably binding two bodies together doesn't forceably bind two souls.

"What are you saying?"

A low growl escapes his lips. His eyes widen and flash a bleeding red. His breathing deepens. "Did you fail to listen around the fire," he mutters through clenched teeth.

Standing there defenseless against a fuming powerful demon lords pushes me to becoming frenetic. _Around the fire? _What had he said? What had upset him back then? What is it that he expects me to know of? I gasp. The same thought occurred to me whilst mentioning demonic past lives. I hesitately speak to him as I sense his lowering anger to avoid provoking it once more.

"Embedded memories..."

This breakthough calms him down further as his eyes still at a golden hue and his breathing regulates. He sighs and runs a clawed hand over his face. "Yes."

I stare back at him to deduce the situation on my own. _"It's your soul that mine wants." _My soul is connected with this demon. This connection is one that has lead to him to seek me intimately. For some reason, he has fed off of the belief that I have already know all of this. I open my mouth to state a rebuttle but close it during an afterthought. _Demons have these memories embedded. _I am no demon. I search everything in my mind that may seem similar to feeling realistic bur not being real. A vision that I've seen but never experienced, but yet I have experienced. A certain dream fits the description and I go back to the encounter with Kereru.

**This was planned. **Kereru was working for him. She gave no clue to her full name to hide her identity. That way, no one could ever trace her with the youkai. Lord Sesshomaru had expected for everyone around the fire to know about the tale of past lives -which is the reason for his disappointment. But most importantly, he had expected for me to know what those dreams where. He believes that I understand his reason for laying with me. I know nothing of my entire soul's lives. Even after meeting Kagome, a reincarnation, I never gave a thought about my soul having other lives than one.

Though, it all makes sense. Kagome loves Inuyasha just as Kikyo did. Our souls have been used to intimacy – the reason why my flesh gave in so easily despite me not wanting to. The "fortune teller" had failed to give me all of these memories. The stoic demon lord in front of me holds to the fact that I do. I could admit this and seal my death, or I could play along and try to weasle my soul out of this. I choose the latter.

"You're letting it's past control you, Lord Sesshomaru," I cautiously state.

He lowers his head in what seems like defeat. "It's prove to be quite the distraction."

I've never witnessed such a display of vulnerability. It's an understatement to say the least. More than a distraction, it's a hindress on his true self. Or maybe, this is his true self – colors far too vivid for the naked eye to see. Whatever relationship formed through our past life must have been a loyal one, otherwise I wouldn't believe thim. How I wish to know...

His face slips through the curtain of hair as he rises. His face bears the mark of an altered being. The icy expression his facial features draw forth contort with the lost look in his eyes. They then seem to gloss over and dialate in the blink of an eye. "It seems to yearn the moment it's left empty."

He slowly starts to inch closer and I back away in sync. "It won't go away. This," he progressively speeds his advances, "_want_."

I back away faster and halt as I feel the edge of a frost covered twig sticking from the ground. He shakes the lust from his eyes and stills his feets' movements. "It's spiritually exhausting," he casually admits as his eyes downcast.

"You have to fight it," I offer as the only advice that could benefit both me and him.

He gazes back with a small amount of hidden appreciation. "It's harder when this **tainted **soul feels lost. To harbor the desire of a filthy human.." He turns his back once more and walks away. I would taken that as an insult if I hadn't known that it was a normal 'Lord Sesshomaru' remark. _He's fighting it_.

After a set of long strides, he turns back around. "Remove your necklace."

I raise my brow and ask questionally, "Why?" Yes, I've figured the moment I'd retrieved it that it was left there by him. I refused to acknowledge it. It's in my possesion and I see no reason why it should have to discard of it. _Unless..._

The small drop in his jaw signals his irritation. "I can't find you with it on."

..._it was another tool. _The red liquid swimming in the emeralds. It's hidden my scent. Which means that it has hidden his also. Inuyasha couldn't smell him on my skin that night. _He couldn't have sniffed me out then, Kagome. A distraction indeed to leave such an important flaw... _Luck was on his side when Inuyasha wanted him to join us in battle. If it weren't for that, he would have had no other way to ever find me – specifically alone. _It's why he joined so easily._ Reaching a compromise with a sibling you claim to hate and desire to kill is unlikely – with the exception of a great greed. I hope these little encounters aren't to satisfy his soul. I refuse to take it off. "No."

His eyes repeatetly flash crimson and reverts to the dialated golden. I gulp and take a step backwards. The twig being long forgotten, I begin to fly back and float in mid air. A synister chuckle crawls in my ear as my savior catches me. "You don't know it's importance," he murmers.

He looks at the locket nestled above the cleavage that is threatening to show and back at my eyes. The golden orbs change into a light lust filled silver. " Hmph...I can tell through those green eyes that you believe me. Give it up. There's nothing we can do."

_I once had green eyes …._

I'm taken over by some unknown presense – an alien. This same alien that had inhabited me before, cursing me with the green doors to my soul. The same one that forced mein an disabled sector of my brain. This time it shouts at me angrily with his same words. _**Give it up. Give it up. **_It's the pressure to give in to these possesors and succumb to their control. Lord Sesshomaru doesn't know how to love. How is it that his soul has devised this hunger to love? _Is he that spiritually feeble? _No, he's declining the task of fighting it. It's not difficult but tedious. You wish that you didn't have to, but it's nessecary if you wish to do what you want. The idea to quench this fake thirst sounds easier to him. It's the a perfect reflection of himself and how he deals with any challenges he faces in life. If something is amiss, kill the source until another being steps up to rekindles the same or similar problem.

"We can try to resist. We cannot question why the souls of lovers immediately seek an intimate session each time they reunite."

The same sad feminine voice pleas with me. _**Give it up. Give it up.**__**Please **_…

I can only guess how much control he has. I can only imagine the things _**he **_is pleading with him.

Lord Sesshomaru holds his gaze with mine and in a low gentle voice he says, "Being in the same presense for a prolonged time may finally end these meetings. Relax and we may finally end this unease."

He is demon of little words and upon hearing him speak frequently lets me know that he is under this influence as well. This makes me give it up and fall slave to anything and everything that this broken soul may want. I hand over the control to her and feel the urges shoot through me – beckoning for the other half. The magnetism increases the pressure on our shoulders. A soft violent kiss seals the pits. I feel the remants of ourselves that we have come to made in these souls lie dormant inside them. We sink lower into them and land on a pillow surface waiting for the dettached dominant portions of our soul to feed.

In the end, we watch below them move limply together as they rock and breath into eachother's bodies in immense pleasure and pain that I yet to know of.

**End Notes: The morning after isn't like the first time...**

**Confused? We get into the answers a lot deeper later. **


	9. My Own Worst Enemy

**A/N: He wore a crucifix but never preached at me  
We'd stay up all the night until the day was dead  
I'd get the fear of God inside my broken head **

**l beat myself to death while he sits next to me  
I wanna free myself from all this misery  
I wanna taste the love but life's against up me  
But I am my own worst enemy **

******My Own Worst Enemy by Stereophonics*****

**The Root Of All Evil**

**Chapter 9 : My Own Worst Enemy**

I have not dismissed the errors of my ways. Though, I do use my soul's temptation as an excuse to avoid the self loathing I deserve. I shall take full responsibility if I ever become discovered. If. My paranoia will not escalate. It's been decided that whatever occurs to help sustain our avatars normalcy will be kept hidden and we shall go on. That is, until I can figure out what exactly it is that I'm keeping answers I turn to only lead me further into this perpetual labyrinth. When will I finally the see light at the end?

It is the witching hour, so the sunrise is still in a distant time for this season. I trek back to the others under his aura as he leaps atop the trees. A hint of betrayal sprinkles the clouds as the air becomes pregnant with this comforting mist. We both managed to resurface somehow without any form of trial. It was like a shot that killed the living past of ourselves and our eyes had opened. I expected to feel the same mix of emotions afterwards but felt nothing. In a crazy way, I felt relieved.

But the one thing plaguing my thoughts is the missing key through those green eyes life. I certainly can't find Kereru, nor could I ask Lord Sesshomaru without raising suspision. I'm no good at secrecy. Going through the motions of this life lesson, I being forced to quickly learn. The tongue of a snake was never a trait that I wished to acquire. Though, to lie to others you are only lying to yourself. It's not myself that I'm hurt about lying to, it's the monk waiting asleep for me.

I'm beginning to think that he doesn't deserve me. There are obviously enough reasons that he doesn't know about that would agree. I can't belong to two people. So why are my insides telling me different? Why does the idea of my heart belonging exclusively to one and my body belonging exclusively to the another do nothing to me? I waver no repulsion nor concern. It feels like a reasonable way to deal with all of the soul business – for now.

I feel like a puppet on a string attached to Lord Sesshomaru. I thought it was only the demon slayer intellect, but I can feel him much stronger than any other demon. This connection seems more clear to me. Yes, I'm afraid of it. This nagging message remains in my head telling me that I shouldn't be. The string tied between us snags and I come to a brusque stop. I feel him directing me as the string tugs to the right. I walk past the tree he is perched upon and it snips in two. It snips in such a clean slice that it almost hurts. Yet, _I don't know why._

A beautiful whistling breath accompanied by a light snore sends my attention to the sleeping fox demon, mouth agape, and lazily draped over Miroku with his twitching in some unknown dream. My heart suddenly breaks before I break into the smile that wanted to emerge at the innocent sight. Then, all at once I feel dirty. So incredibly dirty, that I forcefully scratch down my arms in vain to rid of the filth that riddled over every trace of my skin. My hands roam my face and neck, sick with disgust. I want to feel clean again. _Anything_ to feel clean. _Anything_ to make me go back to the time before I became infected with these insects crawling beneath my skin.

I clutch to myself desperately and disappear in the opposite direction from which I came. I carelessly stagger through the forest searching frantically. I look in every corner and shrub, listen to every echo. _Please, come on. _My nerves almost send me on a high when I hit a sweet spot. I heave a deep sigh before breaking into a sprint and stripping until I finally reach the source.

The new winter wind nips and sucks on my exposed flesh as I cut through it. My anticipation rises along with the sound of rushing water. My feet fight against the ground and brings me to a halt in front of the warm mist of the spring. _What brings me here? _Before I know it, I chuckle an almost cynical laugh. _The same thing as last time. _It's very similar, but not the same.

I need to kill off the bugs. I need to wash away the evil of my sinful ways – forget the relaxing. What need is there to relax when knowledge brings misery while innocent remains as bliss? There is no point to try. I'm going to keep doing this. I'm only going to end it when I can, and for that I need to know what I'm against. But, I need this for Miroku. I don't care that anyone can't smell my scent. I'll know what traces have been left of my lips when I kiss Miroku. _That_ guilt seems to eat me alive more than anything.

I splash the water onto my flesh and imagine all of it vanishing before my eyes. Its warmth pleases me a little at the reminder of Miroku's embraces. No previously lived experiences can make that feeling go away – not even Lord Sesshomaru. I cup my hands under the water and release little streams to travel down my body. I start to progressively feel better with the thought of Miroku. Bending over, I audibly release a drawn out breath and stare into the eyes of my reflection. _What have you done back then?_

_**Do you really want to know, Sango? **_My heart almost burst from my chest as I jump in the air from the new face staring back at me. My eyes widen at the familiar girl from my dreams. I watch in wonder as the reflection copies my movements as I hesitantly bring my hand to my face. I should of seen this coming, I think as I swallow my nervousness. I shake my head erratically up and down until I'm positive that this is what I want.

"Yes."

Then, I cringe as I notice it. I'm talking to myself like a lunatic. This isn't like Kagome talking to Kikyo. I'm face to face with an hallucination. Only I can see and hear it, but talking to myself never felt more like a meeting between strangers.

**"****I am apart of you." **I have no clue what she read on my face as her voice gains to a spiteful level. **"The sooner you come to realize this, the easier things will be, okay?"**

I'm appalled. Of part of me, yes, but you can't dictate my current life. "You seem very confused . I'm living. YOU are dead. What you want should not interfere with me. Why are you doing this?" I'm shouting now.

Her delicate features twitch in oncoming fury. **"For the last time," **she grits lowly,** " we are one. I am apart of you. You should ask yourself that very question."**

If what she says is true, then what am doing? I'm asking her, which should mean that I'm asking myself. A headache starts to develop as I realize that I'm taking myself far too literally. _Myself – _that's quickly becoming a word that I loath. I can very well tell that's she's playing mind games to get what she wants. Oh, I can learn how to be myself rather quickly, I think vindictively.

"Your name wouldn't be Sango by chance?"

The fire in her eyes comes to life. **"No." **She settles with being found out before quietly continuing, **"It's Konatsu ."**

A smug smile adorns my face. "But -"

**"I know what I said!" **She shouts.** "You listen to it, too! You're messing with things that are already set in stone and YOU are ruining it!" **

My hand roughly slaps the water. Her determined face reappears in the reflection. I strike again. Her face continually resurfaces so I angrily attack the water over and over, hoping to never see that face again. Through the rippling from my last strike I exhale a sigh of relief seeing my own image come back. I begin to run a shaky hand through the soaked locks of my hair when I see Konatsu masked with a doleful expression. Her full pink lips carefully open to say in soft whisper, **"You're ruining everything. Can't you just see it?"**

My hand falls atop of my head as the opposite arm swings limp with little streams of water trickling down. I blink at her before softly pleading.

"What am I ruining? Tell me or there is going to be _no way_ that I will continue suffering through this. _Please … _I'm _begging _you"

She scoffs back at me. **"If I tell you, you'll never stop fighting for that pathetic excuse of a monk." **The short length of her hair swooshes as she shakes her head back and forth. **"I'm warning you, go with these feelings,"** and either to me or to reassure herself she desperately adds, **"you'll be much happier in the end."**

"Why can't you just tell me? Maybe -"

**"NO!,"** she screeches, **"Maybe I don't **_**want**_** to tell you!"**

Why is she making things so difficult? I'm mentally exhausted and frustrated, and I've almost never been this way a day in my short life. Going through so much in a such a little time is overwhelming. How much more can I take? Konatsu is going to cooperate if I give her what she wants, but she seems to be doing the exact opposite by torturing me... and it's working. A glint of hope awaits and in the next proceeding seconds, calls to me in the distance.

"Sango-chan? Are you okay?"

_Always here to my rescue. _

_"_Hai, Miroku. I-I just got a little chill from the cold."

_**What do you think you're doing? **_She hisses in my conscious. _I'm making you tell me what I need to know – your way, because that's the only way how. _

I blink away her sight from the reflection and in my hunched over position, I fake a tail wagging shiver knowing very well what I'm doing as I elicit a throat clearing from Miroku. I cringe during my efforts and my heart starts to crack. My with head down, I cross my arms over my chest and rise to slink and sink slowly to more a shallow area.

"I just needed to be warm," I say while looking away.

_**What you are doing is useless – more incentive to keep my cold dead lips sealed. **_

I almost believe her. I'm no master of seduction, but Miroku is still Mirkou. I would never doubt that he could find some desire cached in his love for me. I'm the only obstacle that I need to get passed. I've lost the demeanor of an untouched which can no longer be concealed. Though, this is the wrong time and place for this to occur. He could read my apprehension. Even though it's not apprehension per say, it's the guilt of using him to torture the previous owner of my soul to tell me her life and wasting our first time together. It's bad enough that I can't hand him my innocence too. There's going to be no real importance in it by faking my lust. This might just kill me if I didn't trust him will all my being that he would give his love for me in the most gentle and caring way. I can only pray that can forgive me if my real reason is ever exposed...

I swallow my pride and look up at Miroku. The scene is eerie in it's resemblance. He looks at me with such suspicion that it rattles my composure.

"Wouldn't that be the purposeful for holding you in you're sleep," he asks with a smile playing on his lips.

I smile back and nod in agreement. He's never held me in my sleep, but the drop in heat has made him rather cuddly. I left before he could manage to subconsciously wrap his arms me and that saddens me.

"This is much warmer."

_**That's quite an insult. **_

My heated determination leads me to try to recover by innocently saying, "You could join me. That is … if you want." I pretend look down in a red flush.

_I want answers._

" Wh- wha...are – are you serious? I wouldn't want to- to _intrude,_ " stammers a blushing Miroku.

Yes, that was pretty straight forward. _Stupid. _I look up back at his confused face and squeeze my arms tighter around myself. "It's okay, houshi-sama. I trust you," I state seriously, honestly.

I study his caution and the waging war of right and wrong. I hug myself even tighter and plead in a frozen voice, "Just hold me in the water. Please … you've done it before."

He looks at his robes and speaks lowly, "But -"

"It's okay. I know you have to. I won't look," I interrupt with a promise.

_**How is this convincing me to tell you anything?**_

_It will. _I reassure her.

A strong wind blows through the forest and I thank the gods for persuading him with it. With a hint of reluctance, he strips from of his attire and with my promise I keep my eyes locked on his. I wouldn't dare look anywhere else. In his first touch of the water a content sigh escapes his lips. Both of his feet enter the warm envelope and adjust to begin his trudge through the spring. My heart thrums in my chest erratically the closer he approaches. He floats on the slightly shallow end in front of me.

He stares at me with deep concern. I try my best to slow my breathing and hide my nervousness. I inhale and exhale through my nostrils before covering my chest with one arm and moving the other. I grab Miroku's arm and direct him to wrap it out around my waist. He watches me carefully, and with much hesitation, wraps his other limb around after it. We akwardly embrace with a small distance between us.

_**Hn, why should I let you know anything when you and the monk so clearly don't love each other? You've already fallen for our attachment to the demon. **_

Hearing her make such a false assumption causes me to throw all caution to the wind as I hook both my now free arms around Miroku's neck and close the space between our bare bodies. I bury my face in the junction of his neck and hold in the warmth. He releases a shiver down his spine as I whisper on his skin, "Warm me."

_**You wouldn't dare,**_ Konatsu inwardly gasps.

_I will if you don't start talking._

I feel the heavy rise and fall of his chest on mine as he heavily breaths. His foot brushes against mine as he tries to hold his floating legs away. "S-Sango.. I believe I am," he quietly breaths.

I carefully find the back of his calves with the sole of my feet and cross my legs over them. I do this to pull us plush against eachother and to make my request clear. I hope to do this without having to ask for it; that would be too hard. So I continue to say the only thing that can I muster up.

"Warm me."

I proceed to feel his body move against mine. He shifts his head to give me a gaze of confusion.

I incline my face to his and look longingly at his lips and then back to his storm cloud violet eyes. He reads my actions immediately and stares back with shock. I cup his face with my hand to reassure him that I'm ready and his eyes morph into awe and understanding. I can cypher his thinking and preparation in his loving gaze as he smiles back. I wrap my other hand around the napeof his neck, and without warning, I lightly pull him down to send his lips to go crashing down on mine.

I close my eyes as I marvel at the soft pads of lips as my heart swells to unimaginable size. All of his kisses never cease to calm and excite me at the same time. Though that excitement is never in a sexual way, I try my best to turn things around. I hold the tears behind my eyelids and apply pressure against his lips.

_**Stop it, Sango!**_ She reveals that she isn't just a passing visitor. It's been proven that she isn't leaving and probably can't. I try my best to make the worst of her invasion just as she has done me. Only if she spits outs the unknown truth, will I try to make it stop.

I swiftly recoil a few centimeters from his lips and taste his deeply transfixed breath. "Warm me," I whisper against his lips. He closes his eyes and goes back to attacking my lips. I keep my open as I mentally communicate with the alien inside me.

_Tell me, Konatsu. _

_**NO! **_

I close my eyes at her denial and open my mouth for him as he swipes his tongue across my bottom lip for entrance. His pink muscle fights for the dominance that I easily let him have.

_Konatsu, _

_**You incolent little wench! No, I say! Stop it! **_

I carefully nip at his lip and focus my attention to his tongue. I suck on it gently as I coax a moan from his throat.

_**You'll get nothing from me!**_

_Then you are to suffer until you do._

From that, I let wandering hands wander and hungry lips devour all for the interrogation of my own worst enemy. I received nothing up until I no longer felt a flaccid member against my thigh as he lifted me to lock my legs around his waist. Through her incoherent crying, I could hear Konatsu mumbling the name Kai over and over again. Kai, I assumed to be Lord Sesshomaru's alternate person.

Our lips are connected in a hungry battle, our flesh pulsing for contact. A slick digit enters me from under the water and I release my lips. Miroku notices my unease and reverts to comforting shh-ing.

"It's okay, Sango." He rubs soothingly on the arch of my back as his other hand stills in its place. "This is to lesson the pain. Tell me stop, whenever you need it. I'll stop."

This was the reminder that I dreaded. The reminder of how my virginity is supposed to factor in this- _supposed. _I want to stop immediately. Though, I don't say it because waiting any longer to fully open myself to him will only result in me constantly beating myself to death the longer it's postponed for someone else. I want to be able to feel the love that should be put into this, but in the end, I'm only doing what I said. I'm going against my own worst enemy, Konatsu, which is in fact a part of me – myself. So, I let Miroku prepare me for the devotion and love that he will fill me with. I whimper onto his shoulder as he gently caress my insides. I whimper not from the pain I should be feeling but the fact that I don't feel it. I whimper because I'm rushing my future in order to get into my past. In one single night, I let the two halves of my soul get what they want under the most tragic of circumstances.

_Forgive me Kohaku, you sister is a harlot._

**End Notes: I can never end a chapter where I want it to without it not cutting off at a weird point or making it extremely long. Oh well. FYI – I don't like writing smut or anthing sexually detailed. I try to focus on the psychological aspect of it, and if Sango is trying to keep her thoughts clear and blank or she's not the one thinking at all while it's happening, I don't write about it. That's why the first chapter was that way. **


	10. Hear Me Now

**A/N: I feel bad for not telling you guys that I was taking a month hiatus on this story. I was actually going to say "planning" but it wasn't exactly planned. Hope you didn't think that I was giving up on this. September was just a kick-off for a lot of stuff. PLUS -I did some Japanese research for a big part of this story. I'll give you a hint – onna bugeisha =) **

**This chapter and the few after it are going to be MY favorites.**

**The story is back on track for weekly updates. **

**I'm willing to dedicate more chapters if someone is willing to give me some source of inspiration. It could be a quote, a picture, or a band that you would think would have a song that could go along with the story. I'm sure I could at least find one song. **

******Hear Me Now by Framing Hanley ******

_**The Root Of All Evil **_

**Chapter 10: Hear Me Now**

I almost collapse against Miroku as I brace myself on the rock behind him. Stray hairs are stuck to my face with the mixture of sweat and water. I lay my head on his shoulder and bring my droopy gaze at the spread of crystal liquid surrounding us. He holds me firmly by both of my thighs on either side of his body. Miroku's shallow breathing in the afterglow suddenly stills. His lips ghost over my cheek he as speaks lowly to me.

"I love you, Sango."

"I love you too, Miroku," I whisper back in a tired croak -

and it's true. With this knowledge, I could empty my conscious and try to focus on the little things that Konatsu would let slip through. It wasn't much, but I found out that Kai was the heir to the Western Lands long ago and that it was "All my fault." I don't know how I (or Konatsu?) managed to jeopardize that.. …...

I can only dwell in the thought that the only knowledge that can hurt you is the knowledge you don't know.

_But why does it have to be the most important?_

I let Miroku bask in the retelling of our affection for awhile before I slowly begin to bring my legs around to let my own two feet touch the bottom of the water. I look up at him carefully to decide whether or not that I should say more. He looks down studying my legs and asks almost above a whisper, "Did it hurt – you?"

Under the soaked shag of his hair, his eyes flicker to lock with mine as I give him my answer. "No, it didn't hurt."

In fact, I even managed to clear my head enough to actually somewhat... enjoy it. I'm not proud of the intentions I have for doing it, but it was great. Miroku doesn't know anything about what happened before. He probably assumed that I just had woken up, went to the springs, and he happened to arrive at my time of heat. Now that I think about it, he's definitely on his way to perfecting the art of giving a child to bare. Though., I assume that he's to the point where only I have the special privilege to do so. The feeling of pride that I should feel from that is only overshadowed by the shame.

_What more do I have to do? _

That's the essential question. What other tactic can I take to get more out of Konatsu? I don't feel her anymore. The mirror reflecting my insides shows nothing, nothing but the current me. I can only feel myself and Miroku wavering in this water. Did the coming of my future send her away? If it sent her away that would mean...

_Kai's gone too _

Can I be that lucky? Somewhere on the face of this earth, Lord Sesshomaru, that demon, may have had his demons sucked out of him – gone forever. The power of our own free will _might _ have be regained. I don't want to feel like I did then and go back. I try not to jump to conclusions so quickly, but it's tempting.

I prayed to the gods that Lord Sesshomaru would never come back and warp everything even further. I was, _still am_, sick and tired of him skewing all of the things that I've never known. Much to my dismay, the hanyou was patient for once in his life. He waited. I couldn't believe that he actually _wanted one of his enemies _ to come back and help him. He waited and waited some more. I tried desperately to understand why Inuyasha actually waited for him to come back. We waited in surrounding villages of the Western Lands and exterminated countless demons for our stay. In this whirlpool of chaos, I can say that it was the most stable of occurences having no sign or whisper of Lord Sesshomaru, but it still managed to anger me. It angered me that we needed his help. It angered me that it was Lord Sesshomaru. I was angry at myself for things that I couldn't control. The anger was a child of all of the fear. Still, I had to hide this and move on like nothing happened. There would be a lot of trouble on my part having to explain any sudden mood swings.

There was only one thing that I could do. I had to keep my emotions under control, meaning that I couldn't let Konatsu interfere. My hopes were high when I thought that I might have banished her. The guilt still resides in my core of what I had done. I had used the one person that kept my emotions in balance and scrambled at the sime time to kill off another thing that could ruin my mental state. My thoughts were directed towards one person.

_My Miroku..._

He knew just what to do for me and with me without request or offer. I've kept the pent up guilt concealed because I think that the day he finally finds out... he'll forgive me. I hope I'm dead and gone when he does.

The gentle breeze washes over me, and I sigh as it breaks me from my thoughts. I take it to heart when they say that there is a still before the storm. You can't be too careful, I think as I step out into the vacant field, fully dressed in my battle uniform, with hirakotsu strapped to my back on this eerily serene day. Lord Sesshomaru gave no definite reason for his departure, so I wouldn't be surprised if he ever returned.

"DEMON!"

The strident cry of a villager rings out in the distance. My muscles scream out in protest; I try to convince myself that I had just finished a simple stretching instead of vigorous training as I dash in the direction of the screams. Beside me, a flash of red burst from the corner of my eye as Inuyasha bounds passed me. Another strange shrill erupts from up ahead. Behind me, I hear the panting of Kagome and Miroku running to catch up. I look down at the ground passing by and eye Shippo and Kirara dashing beside my feet. With a nod, the kitsune transforms and lags behind to hoist the miko, fox demon, and monk on her back. Slowing down with her, I grab the scruff of her neck and pull myself atop. With all of us firmly situated, we take flight.

In the bird's eye view from up above, I spot the demon. The air in my lungs is brusquely forced out me at the sight of a youkai that I've never seen before.

With no hint of exaggeration, its legs are thicker than the trunk of a tree – taller than that even. It's standing there, towering over the running villagers with it's arrogant feline face. The red and white of its eyes stand out among the blackness of its fur. With the sun blazing behind it's head, there is a luminous ring created from the fur jutting from it's cheeks.

"What is it?"

The fear and confusion traced in Miroku's voice calls my attention to the last attribute of the demon that I nearly missed. If it weren't for his confirmation, I wouldn't have believed it myself seeing as the creature suddenly sprouts wings, two of the largest, most angelic feathery coal wings, from the center of it's back. What should I have the privilege to call such a beautiful disaster?

It's rears back and reveals it's pearly white teeth as it releases a melodic cry. It sounds like a great typhoon or a thousand waves crashing. It's a somber mix of death and an uproar of joy.

Up ahead and approaching the beast, Inuyasha grabs for his sheath and pulls on the small tattered sword out into the massive tetsaiga. He is the first to attempt an attack as he makes a dash towards the creature. He veers to the left, then right, and to the left again as the creature snarls and swipes his paw in his direction. The remaining villagers make a hasty escape at Inuyasha's distraction.

"WIND SCAR!" Inuyasha screams as he jumps into the face of the demon and sends the tetsaiga crashing down forward. The air shreds directly to the creature as it stands perfectly still, but the unimaginable happens.

It unlatches its jaws into a gaping mouth. It makes no sudden movements as it physically _swallows down _the force of the wind scar.

Inuyasha is frozen in place. His eyes go empty at the reality that this demon actually _ate _his _attack. _The creature brings out his tongue and slowly drags it across its teeth.

_ ...to savor all the power. _

It mewls a sound that you could think would be similar to the sound of lying angels. We all remain speechless. Kirara swoops and lands lightly on the ground beside Inuyasha, the air silent still. Miroku, Kagome, and Shippo leap off and marvel at the sight. That comes to and end once the youkai eyes narrow into a penetrating glare and they all scramble in different directions to get out the creature's path – except for Inuyasha – stunned.

"KAGOME!" Miroku screeched.

No matter how great the burst of adrenaline that could curse through Kagome, she couldn't move him out of the way in time and was flung with him, fear etched on her face, as the demon swiped them from his view. Everything happened in a such a blur that we were helpless. It pounced on it's heels and struck again before we could get the chance to check on our fallen friends.

I grunt from the force I exert as I grip onto Kirara to steer the demon away from Miroku and Shippo as they were on foot trying to move the hanyou and miko's bodies. Thinking back on it, I don't fully understand why they leaped off so quickly, but that didn't matter now. My main priority was getting them back on. The youkai was big, yes, but it was unthinkably quick. Those wings couldn't carry it very far, right? Though, there had to be some reason for it having them? I had to take my chances.

Kirara and I circle the demon in erratic patterns. It swipes at us as we buzz around it's face like an annoying insect. Before, the demon becomes too agitated I unstrap hirakotsu. I call out to them as loudly as I can hoping that they can hear me.

"Miroku! Shippo!"

They look at me from the ground seeing that I have gotten their attention. I have do this quick in order to be safe. We do one last circle, and with my weapon in my hands, let the energy ripples through the muscles in my arms and explodes to my fingertips as I release the hirakotsu.

"DOWN KIRARA!"

Just as the command was blurted, we rush to ground were the monk and fox demon hover over Inuyasha and Kagome. Our speed picks up from the downward acceleration.

"You have to get on fast!" I urge.

Miroku and Shippo brace themselves and (thankfully) time their jump accurately to land on Kirara's back. There was no time to observe the hirakotsu to see if it successfully made contact. From the time elapsed, I could sense that it was making it's round back to me. Kirara steers herself in the throwing point based on her instinct. Hirakotsu lands in my hand with the sting that I've come accustomed to.

I finally try to catch a glimpse of the demon a moment too late when all I see in return is a black void heading towards me.

I only realized that someone was screaming when the sound was suddenly cut off as I began to slip into a familiar darkness and silently wish that this is the last -

** She batted her eyelashes innocently and repeated what she had said earlier in an even sweeter voice. "Tell the story again."**

** She gave her mother a stare with eyes as big they could get. "Pweeeaaaaaaase," she begged in a baby voice. **

**Her implores fill the little living quarters and rattles the family of four. The youngest boy, sitting next to the only source of light coming from the window, shakes his head at his sister's childish antics. You wouldn't believe that she's actually the oldest of the two from her behavior right about now.**

** "Your big mouth is going to wake dad up." **

** "Please," she seriously states in a low whisper. She sticks her tongue out to the boy.**

** "Can dad hear me now?" **

**The moonlight shadowed boy begins to retort at her words before an authorative hand quickly ends the sibling bickering. **

** "Stop, before you both wake him up!" she sharply warns. Realizing that she may have contradicted herself and said that a tad too loudly, she slowly turns to look at the strong built man behind her . The laying figure releases a whistling snore and the woman begins to stare at him with adoration through her strange green eyes. Two adolescent fingers come in sight and a sharp snap alarms to break her from her trance.**

** "Mom, aren't you going to tell it again? You**_** gotta',**_**" she whines. **

** The mother gently grabs her daughter's hand and lowers it from her face. She looks at her child warningly and smiles. "Okay, but this is the last time. You go to sleep afterwards." **

** "Yeah, and let other people go to sleep too," the black haired boy interjects. "All the groaning, moaning, and mumbling you do in your sleep is scary. It's keeps me up all -"**

_**SMACK!**_

**The boy cups his face and turns his head, expecting to see sister looming over him. But what he has to sit up and see is his mother with her hand raised in mid air, eyes mixed with regret and something else he can't properly read. **

** "M-mom?" he asks confused and, for the first time, frightened that she may hit him again.**

** She lowers her hand and watches her only son flinch as she does so. She instantly reaches out and wraps her arms around her trembling child. **

** "**_**I'm sorry**_**. **_**I'm sorry**_**. Forgive me, Shiro. Oh **_**please**_**, forgive me. **_**I'm sorry**_**. You know mommy would **_**never **_**mean to hurt you." **

** The mother continues to quickly rant off apologies and rock them back and forth. She ****blinks back her tears as she begins to shame herself. She sends a fast glance at her rigid daughter ****and repeats another string of sorry's. The room slows down as the mother begins shh-ing a silent ****boy. She holds back all of her tears as she shares a look with her daughter and ceases her movements upon hearing a light snore from her lap. Shiro is then carefully moved to his futon under the window beside his father, and with a hesitate kiss, she resumes to sitting in front of her daughter. **

** They sit tensely facing each other, expecting to begin a talk that they've had countless times before. To the girl's surprise, it starts differently as the mother speaks and says something she never expected to come out of her mouth. **

** "You still want to hear it again." **

** It was a statement rather than a question. She knew for sure that she wanted to rediscover the story, but she didn't understand her daughter's thinking. She was shocked that she didn't break down and cry when she heard it the first time. The mother was hesitant to tell it to begin with. She was only supposed to give them a history lesson; if it weren't for her insightful children spotting a whole in the tale, she would have never included a certain part of the story. That was definitely the main part she was referring to – the part that could trigger an emotion so fast that it was uncontrollable.**

** "Why?" **

** The girl nibbles her trembling lip and thinks of the correct way to say it. Her teeth release their hold on her bottom lip as she gives in. There's no way to say it out loud without looking crazy. It only sounds right in her head. With that, she sits even more rigid and her eyes ghost over, but she answers her mother obediently anyway. **

** "It gives me hope." **

** That answer certainly caught the woman off guard as her forehead sat creased in misunderstanding. "This – this is a sensitive subject for you." The girl's eye downcast as confirmation. **

** " I don't mean to pry, honey, but how does that give you any hope or faith to get out of what you're in? I honestly want to know in order help you."**

** The girl chuckles almost cynically and smiles almost as wickedly when she responds above a whisper, "It's impossible to think that I could get out of it. This isn't something that I could just put effort into and **_**try**_** to slither myself out of."**

** She glances upward and locks identical eyes with her mother and continues, "That's one thing you have to understand and get completely clear." **

** "Konatsu -" **

** "You don't understand," she emphasizes. Konatsu raises her head and tries to relax her body. "You will never understand until you've been through it yourself."**

** "Lower your voice," her mother spits. **

** Konatsu lowers her head once more and tucks a long black lock behind her ear, retreating to her rigid posture. **

** "I'm trying to," the woman quietly confesses, "but as a mother I'm furious. You see how I struck Shiro - **_**my own flesh and blood**_**. I hit my**_** baby**_** across the **_**face**_** because of what my other **_**baby**_** is being **_**forced**_** to **_**suffer **_**through and I can't even stop the nightmares in her dreams let alone the one she's living in. He can't know why I hit him, there's no appropriate way to tell him that. I've tried making it so this wouldn't affect him too, keeping him as innocent from it all. "**

** "It's going to get out eventually. They'll hear it or they'll see me and it will spread like wildfire. You and father only know because of my inability to control my subconscious and your pestering. If you don't tell Shiro now, someone else will."**

** The ripened woman sighs in the dark and mumbles. "This isn't easy for me, and it's especially not easy for your father. I can't believe that he hasn't attempted to kill him yet." **

**Kontasu tucks the other side of her hair behind her ear and drags both of her hands down her face breathing deeply in and out. "Dad knows he'd get himself killed. He'd be endangering the family, and I would be upset at him for doing that because of me. I'd be mad at myself for endangering the family, basically. It's all my fault."**

** The back haired girl rubs her eyes harshly. She searches the palms of her hands expecting to find something there and lets out a tiny whimper. "... these damn things... I hate you..," she whispers to herself.**

** Ignoring her child's foul language for the sake of her troubling predicament, the mother clears her throat and responds solemnly,"That's why I thought you wouldn't like hearing it. How could something you put all fault on be something that gave you hope for something better?" she asks quizzically.**

** "I never said that I _didn't_ put all of the blame on that. If things didn't end that way, then none of us would be here, and I sometimes wish that I wasn't here at all. Still, I have to be fortunate for my life afterall. I have to be fortunate that that was greatest outcome possible for her – beside the possibility of it all just stopping before he needed a reason to kill her. That's why it gives me hope. There's no reason for him to put me to death and I pray that I never do. I don't see him stopping either, so I hope that I can be as lucky. So far in this, I think I've been pretty lucky compared to what could have been. " **

** Konatsu gazes up at the moon. "But will my luck run out? Will it drain before I get to my story's ending?" **

** A smirk plays at the corner of her lips as she looks back at her frozen mother. Just as she had thought – the harsh reality would be too much for her to handle. Her mother remains unmoving and unblinking. The girl starts to become worried seeing no rise and fall of her breathing. Her mom releases a long ragged breath as her eyes begin to show the only sign of life as they start to water. The collected tears from earlier threaten to spill at the rim. **

** "If you really wanted to help me Mother, just tell me the story like I asked earlier." **

** Her mother quickly places a hand over her mouth and chokes back a sob. **

** "Please don't cry, Mom."**

** The woman holds her tears the second time that night and clears her throat. "Remember," she says hoarsely, "because I told you that this is the last time. Remember everything."**

** Konatsu nods her agreement. "Do I still have to go to sleep afterwards?"**

END NOTES: These will have to be in regular type seeing as the next few chapters will be in bold type. The mini-fighting thing wasn't great; I know. The demon is supposed to look like a lynx just with massive black wings.I'm starting to regret writing this story in first person POV (I think I do better in third-person, I may be wrong) Yes, this is the LAST TIME she does the annoying black out thing. So, what do you think they are taking about? Want to know the whole story? Read the next chapter for more answers. Everybody does understand what's going on so far right?

P.S. I've been neglecting 3 projects for you guys. :) Just thought I'd let you know. This has been fun!


	11. The Story

A/N: From the number of chapters that I've predicted for this story (16 + Epilogue), I believe that this story will be finished by the first weekend of December, that is if I don't have to add extra or stretch chapters like I did earlier. Alas, the story will end eventually but the saga of ROAE does not. I have been pumped for the sequel since I developed the outline for it after I completed Chapter 3 of this story.

****** The Story by Brandi Carlile ******

_**The Root Of All Evil**_

**Chapter 11 : The Story**

** Swimming in the dreadful waters held in her daughter's eyes, the mother answers without hesitation. "No, not if you don't want to. Don't let what Shiro said get to you. I'll … I'll … I'll tell him and he'll understand. Now, as for the story.." **

** Konatsu slowly draws her knees to her chest and lays her head on them to rest as she prepares for the tale to begin. She stares out into the window at the full moon in the sky and lets the thought of it bring a tiny glint to her eyes. Her eyelids gracefully fall down as she tries to dive into the words as they fall from her mother's lips.**

** "It's unknown when the history of our people began. I suppose that we've always been here to serve. It's in our blood to do it and that's why we do it well. For that, I think the same families will always be here. Though, I can tell exactly when and where our special family came from. It's a secret for those that don't know, and it's almost forbidden, taboo, to even speak about it." **

** The mother sadly smiles at remembering the look on her children's faces not long ago. _'How can you know about something that's unknown?" _ She had to tell them everything. So she might as well not try to hide it again. She continues her story in a slow, quiet voice. **

** "Like the history of our people, as a whole, it's unknown exactly when the Lord's began taking on concubines and mistresses. They had all the power. They got whatever they wanted and there was no person who could object. It was a few generations before my grandmother, Tomoe, that lords decided to 'stoop below there level.' They decided to go to their last resort to feed their selfish desires." **

** Konatsu's mother gulps. She doesn't know why, but resumes solemnly and says, "They used their servants. They progessively turned them into something _lower_ than a concubine: a sex slave. No one thought it was possible, but it had happened. They used them for as long as they could until the inevitable happened. Taking advantage of them for such a long period didn't make it impossible for the Lord and his slave to conceive a child."**

** She studies her daughter intently. Konatsu remains unmoving in her position, eyes still closed, but obviously awake as she nods for her to continue. This was the part where her bright children noticed something else wrong. _'Wouldn't that mean some other families where..."_ She cringed at how she interrupted Shiro and spit out an explanation before he had the chance to finish. She knew exactly what he was going to say and what he had already figured out.**

** "It became a problem for the leaders, of course. What if the child was a boy? How could they deal with another heir born to anyone besides his Lady? Yes, they had found a solution to this problem – as brutal as it may have been. It always ended in the death of his slave and in turn, the death of a child. Only a heartless cruel Lord willing to risk the life of another servant would try to turn another after the first. For some reason it was considered completely normal to have killed only one slave. This ridiculous rule was _almost_ law in the other remaining territories. All of them except one – The Northern Lands."**

** She suddenly halts while thinking about what she was going to say next. **

** _It all made sense._ **

** "It was controversy and it caused chaos. Lord Minamoto, of the Northern Lands, was against it entirely and waged a war with the Western Lands to end it all. The elders gave him no support. His only choice to fight alone with the small army that followed. The war was fought long and hard until miraculously, Minamoto had won. He had taken control of the Western Lands and all that came with it. He began trying to cease the killing in other territories, but knew that it was impossible after having control over two lands that had just suffered the effects of battle.**

** So, there was my grandmother, Tomoe, young and beautiful, doing her work inside the chambers under the rule of a different Lord. He had lain eyes on her for the first time and everything changed. It was like all that he fought for no longer mattered. **

** I'll never forget how she said that it took her by suprise being taken as sexual slave. She never gave any emotion or expression when she told my mother the story.. Though, I was told that she wanted her to only get one thing from the story. Do not hate where you came from. Do not hate the seed from which you grow. Lord Minamoto _was not_ a cruel lord. Though, I assumed that she meant that he was not as cruel as the others. Tomoe was never killed because of her pregnancy. Despite the possibility of a male heir, Minamoto kept her alive because he was still against the merciless killing. He kept her alive because Lady Nakano couldn't produce a male heir nor any child. It was his only chance. **

** So, Lord Minamoto did something no other lord would dare do. He secluded a seperate wing of his castle and prepared it just for Tomoe. She lived comfortably throughout her pregnancy. Her life changed from endless working to absolute luxury. It was all for the simple reason that she had a piece of the Lord growing inside her. Still, Minamoto and Nakano never stopped trying to conceive their heir, you see. So, when Tomoe's delivery was near, they had announced Nakano's pregnancy as well. Many had pressured the lord to kill my grandmother, but he didn't want to risk it. There was always the chance of something going wrong. There was always the chance that Lady Nakano would birth a girl. There was always the chance that they both could birth a boy making Tomoe's child as the first born. Minamoto put his trust in the hands of fate.**

** As it eventually turned out, Tomoe had a daughter. This enraged the elders. It enraged them that he would waste precious time on the delivery on a mutt. It was a filthy half-breed and they said that Lord Minamoto should have killed it in the womb, boy _or _girl. He stood his ground with his beliefs and never got the strength to kill them. **

** The elders where so upset with Lord Minamoto's decision that they went behind his back and formed another army with the fallen Lord Imai. Minamoto never realized the number of people Imai still held under his wing from fear and loyalty. Because of this thought, he ignored the rumor of a secret alliance.**

** Months later, Lady Nakano finally began delivery for his second child. The wait was agonizing for Tomoe. Her biggest fear was for Nakano to have a son. Deep down, she assumed that Minamoto would not kill her and their child if he had failed to produce a son. Tomoe had proven to be more fertile after all, and the chances were greater with her. Sadly, she caught wind in her chamber wing shortly after hearing the newborn's cry that the heir had been born. **

** The outcome of Tomoe and her daughter is fairly obvious... seeing as we are here today."**

** The mother hated killing the joy in their eyes when they began shouting of such an amazing discovery. She never actually finished what she was saying...**

** "You can also see that we are not royalty either despite their special circumstances. Tomoe and my mother, Sakura, lived in solitude and paradise. The lord had ended their previous slave relationship and kept himself only to Lady Nakano. He never avoided his relationship with Sakura as his daughter; though, he never formally introduced his son, Hira, to her as his sister. Growing up watching his father take turns being a father to someone else began to eat Hira alive. **

** When the death of their father finally came, a breaking point surfaced. Hira drew himself mad at the sight of his half-breed sister crying over their father's dead body. It was jealously and envy. He bottled all of these crazy emotions and unleashed them on Sakura the moment he came into power and forced her into servant work. He treated her nor better or nor worse. Hira took things farther by simply ignoring her entire existence. **

** He had built a kingdom based off of out lashes and fits. He held no intelligence, authority, or caution like his father. Everyone knew that it would soon crumble, and that became the time when the late Lord Imai's underground army emerged. It was lead by his young and clever son and he reclaimed the land that was rightfully his from the naïve lord. The battle ended quickly and Hira was beheaded. **

** In the end, Sakura lead a normal life of a servant. She pitied her half-brother more than anything for his ignorance. By the time that Lord Imai's son, Hatanai, was already ruling over the lands she was to serve. Lord Hatanai had no knowledge of Sakura's bloodline and she intended to keep it that way for her safety. **

** No one exposed her heritage to the Lord as the other servants had already grown a strong sisterhood with Sakura. She married within the servants just as the others and started a family. I was the result and our special family went from there – always cherishing our story and concealing it as best as possible, dealing with the burden of harboring such strong demon blood ….. and the breath taking features it gives us."**

** She whispers the last part and carefully studies Konatsu's reaction. Her daugher lifts her face and smiles appreciatively. **

** "Thank you, mother."**

** Konatsu unfolds her body and scoots closer to her sitting mother and wraps her arms around her neck. She buries her face in the small junction and says, "Thank you – SO MUCH." **

** Her mother brings her hands to fold around her torso and rubs soothingly on her back. She stares out into space in front of her and recalls something that she wanted to ask earlier. **

** "When you said that you thought that you've been pretty lucky so far – compared to what could have been - what exactly did you mean?" **

** Konatsu's grip on her mother suddenly loosens. A few small moments later, she decides to let go and look at her mother in the face. **

** "It's not as bad as it seems," she whispers. **

** Again, the woman looks back at her daughter with deep confusion. **

** The young woman sighs and explains. "I don't like it. That part's obvious from my nightmares. It's just that …. it's not like he's …." **

** She trails off flushing. It's not that it's embarrassing. Well, it is, but it's also inappropriate. **_**I still feel that it should somehow be private, **_**she thinks. **

** "You don't have to be in denial about it. Tell me that it's hurting you because I know it is," her mother implores.**

** "Haven't you noticed? I've never come home with a single bruise or -" **

** "That mark you came home with on your neck! You told me that one of the taller servants hit you with a tray!" the mother interrupts.**

** Konatsu releases a groan. " I'm trying to tell you that Kai isn't rough!" **

** She breaths in and out before resuming in a softer voice. " Nor has he been gentle," she shakes her head slightly, "I don't have enough experience know exactly what gentle is. He's just Kai. He does what he normally does, I suppose. Look-" **

** She reaches for her mother's and holds them firmly; "I'm okay. Aside from the hole he has left in my pride and dignity and reputation, I'm untouched. Not physically of course, but I am spiritually. He can not break my spirit for wanting something better. I'm your daughter and you should know me better than anyone else to realize this."**

** "I just don't understand how can act so calm about it. Yet, when you sleep you wail like someone is twisting a knife if your stomach."**

** "I can still the paranoia better when I'm awake," she shrugs. "It's only harder when you break me from concentrating as you're overreacting."**

** Her mother's eyes widen. "I hardly call that overreacting."**

** "It is when you kill my optimism," Konatsu somberly mumbles.**

** The mother gently slides her hands away from her daughter. As she slowly rises she bends back down and places her right hand on the side of Konatsu's face and kisses her chastly on the top of her black head. The girl looks up at her questioningly.**

** "Where are you going?"**

** She stretches her arms in the air and gives a wide yawn. "I'm going to bed. Knowing that my natural tendency to worry is bothering you, I can't sit here and try to bite my tongue. I love you, Konatsu. I'lll do whatever makes you feel better. I'm willing to work with you."**

** Her mother stalks over to the futons and slowly lays herself next to her husband. "Goodnight, sweetie... Sweet dreams this time okay?" **

** She knew it was dangerous adding that, but she felt it was only necessary. She truly meant it. **

End Notes: I didn't update last week because I had a report due over Hermann von Helmholtz. Everything is falling into place.

I have so many new ideas grown from this story. Besides the sequel, I'm planning on a parody about this and an additional story to make ROAE a trilogy. I'm not so sure if I'll make this a trilogy or not because the third story hasn't been "un-kinked". Though, the parody and sequel are a definite thing.


	12. That Day

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha and it's character. They are originally created by the gifted Rumiko Takahashi.

A/N: Completely disregard the note where I said that the ending should be in the last week of November or first of December. I actually think that there may be about 20 chapters so the story should be done in the middle of December. Though, it will be done before the New Year! Sorry about all of this.

**** That Day by Tokio Hotel ****

_**The Root Of All Evil**_

**Chapter 12 : That Day**

** "Kai, my son, take a seat." **

** Lord Natahai, clad in his various pelts and armor, prompts for his heir to the empty space in front of him. Through the slit of irratated silver eyes, the young demon glares at his father as he sits obediently. **

** Ignoring his son's apathy, Lord Natahai adds, "You are aware of what day it is." **

** With a roll of his eyes, Kai scoffs and flips his silver hair over his own pelt adorned shouldler. **

** "I know father," he responds docilely. **

** _Time to here this __once again_, he thinks, _with no way out._ He supposes the best way to get through is to at least somehow seem interested if not at all upset. He lets his eyes wonder his father's chamber, gaze upon the ancient artifacts, and momentarily land on the recent Heian wonders. Kai sighs at the callow exhibit. Lord Natahai has this special ability you see, to be able to crawl himself into a person's skin and say or do the one thing that can flip a switch in someone's mood. His son has spent many of years pondering whether or not this had been passed on from his own father or if it was a learned trait after …. **

** ….. _ ugh. Kami, he's done it again!_ **

** There was no way that he could keep his frustration concealed now. He could try his best to makes his emotions inconspicious, but it would we easier if he knew how to resist his father's power. Instead, he braces himself for the imminent events as the bravado of his father's voice booms in the small chamber. **

** "Spring is here, my son, and you must be prepared." **

** Consuming what he had agreed to listen to made him think back to earlier. As he was stalking the halls this morning, Kai was very aware that the first sign of the spring season had erupted from the heavy amount of bustling from servants. It was easy ignoring the increasing sunlight and rising heat. What he couldn't ignore after he bound his way out of the castle and rushed to the gardens was that single rose – mocking his slowly aging body. **

** If it weren't for his canines, Kai would have already learned to bite his tongue whenever he felt the need to say something that would get him in trouble. Still, he would somehow ignore the taste of blood and say what he was thinking just as he does now. **

** "If I may say so father," he starts.**

** Lord Natahai's eyebrows raise in question. That kind of opening can only lead to something wrong. The lord nods for him to continue anyway.**

** Kai's eyes play on innocence as he obviously states, "We are demons. I'm not mistaken that our life spans are a bit," he raises his brow at the word, "prolonged?" **

** Lord Natahai chuckles deeply. Whether from amusement or evil, Kai is unsure. **

** "I'm simply asking what need is there to remind me of something that will be of no use to me in the near future? Our bodies are young until our dying breath. The Western Lands will still be your's many more seasons."**

** The demon lord narrows his eyes as he leans forward slightly. "I can read you better than you know young Kai," his father emphasizes. He relaxes and leans back before resuming. **

** "I know you well enough to know that you are only concerned with _your _youth, but as you have said, our bodies are young until our dying breath. You have plenty of time to fool with servant girls and do whatever else you do all day. Maybe if you would devote enough of your time to training and to your studies, instead of those filthy humans, you would then understand the importance of being prepared. What if I were to be beheaded the moment I leave this room? Where would that you leave you?"**

** The young demon gives no answer. **

** Lord Natahai closes his eyes and pinches the bridge of his nose with delicate claws. " To wonder who gave you the idea of _youth_. Is it not enough to have had a _childhood_?" he mumbles. **

** Kai, his once pale face now flushed red, sits there fuming over his father's words. It had triggered a represssed memory – one that had put him in a somber place. As it painfully resurfaces, he tries to block out the warmth he felt smothering him as a young demon. It was a great kind of warmth that he remembered being passed from a ghostly pale figure, wisping in his aching heart. She was a beautiful creature, loved all and was loved by all. No one ever managed to love her back as much as her son, Kai, though, he would never admit to it. **

** Her ways differed from his father. It's a wonder how two beings so different could be placed together. She had fed him that idea and nourished it everyday. Kai harbored more love for his mother in a single eyelash than he ever would for Lord Natahai, and that was painstakingly obvious. When she had left him in the care of such a cold hearted being, he didn't know what to do. The demon had mourned for her constantly. Having no privelige to ever display his grief ultimately caused him to rot away and decompose.**

** _Feelings? When you are finally in control you will see how feelings do you no success. __Feelings or any trace of a weak emotion do not attribute to the slayings done to defend my lands._**

** It's on these days, the first day of spring, where his father prods and pokes at his very existance. The day is a constant reminder of Kai's aching hunger and the defenseless state that he is trapped in. This time, something changes in his shaking body – something that Kai believes, or hopes, is his mother's spirit - that gives him strength to finally rid of this disposition and stand up against his father's disparage. **

** "Mother didn't think so," he strains hoarsely.**

** The lord opens his eyes at the mention of his deceased lady. He releases his skin and sighs pitifully. **

** "Lady Haruhi is a fine example of why you should be prepared," he says coldy. He resets his face into a stone mask and eyes Kai seriously. In a low voice, he says almost warningly, "You have much to learn. For your sake, I hope outgrow your so-called-youth by your next spring. I will not leave these lands in the hands of young youkai who only knows how to sulk over the loss of his mother and the silly dreams she has fed him." **

** The frozen hands of his words assault him. He sits there, shaking from the cold hitting him at every angle from the assail. Studying his son's reaction, Lord Natahai shouts to break his daze and rid his foolish son from his presence before he loses his patience. **

** "LEAVE!" **

** Kai runs out of his father's chambers, breathing heavily. His back is stiff against the wall as we watches the door shut with a harsh slam from the hand of his father. Kai silences his shallow breaths as he intently listens to the breaking of glass coming from behind the door. By the time the young demon has reached the age of being capable of ruling these lands, he has gone through these episodes. No matter how many more times he endures it, Kai knows that he will never be able to make himself breath again after the shattering behind the door silences. It's fear, he realizes, of something altering. It's hesitation. It's hope. The morbid combination of the two birth a fantasy of things finally changing; though, they never will.**

** He doesn't know what to feel at this point, so he lets the oncoming silence impregnate the empty hall and the forgotten noises echo away. A certain numbness floats over him. It wraps him in prickly blanket. It settles there, and all he wants to do it find something to make him feel again. His main objective is feel again; just to know that he is alive and that his father hasn't killed his soul completely. It doesn't matter if it's pain or pleasure. **

** Upon hearing growing footsteps down the hall, Kai turns his head and in routine, quickly decides to go for the latter.**

** Arms full of layers and layers of cloth and other soft material, Konatsu turns down the long corridors feeling uneasy. It's not that she hates this task in particular, she just absolutely hates the destination for delivery. These are to be taken to the heir's room – a place she is far too familiar with and a place she tries her best to avoid. She honestly believes that Tokinei made these orders for her to be cruel. **

** If Konatsu was to ever wonder who told the remaining servants of her predicament, it would be Tokinei. Despite her being a nosy know-it-all, she learned by surprise. It was a slow day in the castle. All of the servants usually take these days to further their upkeep on the large garden Lord Natahai is known to have each year - but not Tokinei. As the other sercvants grown to know her, she is huge snoop. To Konatsu's shame and Kai's outrage, she stumbled into the wrong room at the wrong time. **

** Konatsu dismisses the memory immediately and breaths through her nostrils to calm herself. It's a habit that she had developed after Kai had first taken her. When she can't breath and it feels like the world is choking her of air, she remembers to keep her mouth closed and just inhale. It could only be her imagination, but to her it makes everything go by quicker. That's what she wants: to just be done with it.**

** With all of these thoughts to herself, she begins to turn again to the hall reaching her drop off, just when Konatsu's mother stops her to caresses her cheek. **

** "The first flower in the garden has sprung. You have a special treat waiting for you at home on your special day!" she whispers out of breath. **

** Her mother seals her excitement with a loving kiss on her face before returning to work at the call of her name. **

** The reminder clears her foggy head as she walks with quick stride in a rush to hurry home for her gift. Balancing the layers in her arms, she heads farther down the corridor. If it weren't for her boost of adrenaline, Konatsu would keep her steps light in this wing of the castle, but she begins to ignore her loudening strides. As a result, it catches the attention of familiar, tall, and lean body braced against the wall.**

** Kai turns his head just in time to bring her to a brusque halt. The fog accumulates back into her head as her legs quake from the hallow look playing in his eyes. Kai is almost thankful for her ammenity, but he's left too empty to even consider showing an ounce of gratitude. The young demon only wants this fix. With a snap of his fingers, he beckons for her to follow.**

** Konatsu wishes for nothing more than to have the courage to shrink back. Though, she knows a single act resembling disobedience could cost her life. Servants grow up being molded into the perfect pups. In order to do that, someone has to be an example, and that's not another title she wants to uphold. So, she numbs her body in preparation and wills her lower half to move. **

** A tiny fraction of distance remains between them as Kai leads the way to his chambers. Konatsu feels the despair rising in her as she realizes that she will not make it home in time, so she tries to focus her attention on something else. She listens to the steps bounce off the walls, but that only makes it worse. Her ears search for the outside world as she attempts to hear the younger children laughs. How she wishes to be them again! Alas, that makes it worse also. Seeing no escape, she holds her breath and remembers to breath again. Kai, on the otherhand, is the walking dead, moving forward to the end of the world. His body is a barely aware of his surroundings and moves on instinct as he guides her through the familiar wooden doors.**

** No words have to be exchanged as they fall into their routine. Still holding the cloth, Konatsu gently places them on the chest near the window and stands silently. She watches with blank eyes as Kai moves closer staring into them deeply. She truly trust that if she could have been born with normal eyes Kai would have never noticed her and chosen someone else. All of the memories flood back to her and regrets the thought of wanting any other human suffer through what she had. It makes no difference; he had picked her from the lot and it can never be reversed. The urge to scratch and yank them from her skull plagues her, but she doesn't move. Konatsu never moves until he makes her. **

** The demon stalks around, searching for a starting point. The unfeeling Kai lets his demonic blood surge and pump him into predator. He eyes his quarry hungrily and emotionless. She lets her spirit wither within herself as he raises a clawed hand to touch the thin fabric on her shoulder. Konatsu curls tighter inside, trying to hold another piece of herself that she knows he'll take away. The old garment worn to servants falls gently to the floor with a twist of his fingers as she inwardly curses the pathetic material. **

** No matter how weightless she could make her body feel, she couldn't ignore the newborn chill of the first night in spring lapping at her exposed skin. _Why did he have to pick this night,_ she thinks. Any other day, she could make herself frozen and almost unliving, but Kai had no other alternative. This was his special day too (for the same exact reason, no less) and someone had already stolen and blugen the joy from his. He was too absorbed with his needs for tension release to care about anyone else. **

** So, he wouldn't have noticed that Konatsu was crying if it wasn't for the lone tear that fell on the back of his hand. The salty liquid breaks his predatorial enchantement. She had cried a little with their first encounter because he knew roughly sliding past that wall of virtue was supposed to cause that kind of pain. He may have ignored his duties of studying, but he was not stupid. That was the exception; Konatsu never shed a tear afterwards. Now, she had broken the pattern and in turn brought Kai's attention out of his desire for a quick fix. **

** He looks back into the nameless servant girl's eyes and notices something below the surface of the unique hue. It was vacancy, and for this split moment he sees himself. A rush of empathy sweeps under him. Staring down at the hand wrapped around the girls wrist, he decides to release her and possibly release the fist of pity choking his heart. **

** Kai releases her and in a voice so small and unrecognizable he whispers, "Get your things and leave." **

** He flinches at his own words. Never before had he been aware of such a tragedy. How could he have never seen it before? How could he have never noticed that he was becoming the very thing that he hated and feared? How did he never notice that he was becoming his _father_? It took a single look in the eyes of a slave, that he created, to see his reflection as the predator and the prey. Using her as an escape made him worse, not better. He was ruling over her just like his father had been ruling over him. Kai finally saw what a helpless position that it could lower a person to. He was used to being at that bottomless pit crawling and scratching for a way out. That's what lead him here. So, he understood that very instant what he was really doing and let her go. He threw down the safety net that he hoped someone would one day throw for him. **

** Without a second thought, Konatsu makes an ecscape for the door with rags in hand and mind in a haze of confusion and thanks. Kai drops his head and feels legs his quake beneath him. Its not long after while listening to the heavy pants of Konatsu dancing down the hall, before Kai falls to his knees torturing his already broken spirit. **

End Notes : I know! I know! I'm about 3 chapters behind! Don't fret; I've been saving Chapter 13 for Thanksgiving weekend. When I post that I might just post another chaptere or two with it. Thank you for reading.


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